WEBVTT - Vanessa Estelle Williams 0:00:05.760 --> 0:00:09.480 Still the place with Laura Layton, Courtney thorn Smith. 0:00:09.480 --> 0:00:19.360 And Daphnews and Niga and iHeartRadio podcast, right and it 0:00:19.480 --> 0:00:21.720 is exciting and Nasa Williams. 0:00:22.160 --> 0:00:26.560 That's a Estelle Williams, right, you know these floating initials 0:00:26.600 --> 0:00:27.960 that were erroneous and wrong. 0:00:28.040 --> 0:00:31.000 I read about that, but there was a legal erroneous 0:00:31.080 --> 0:00:38.520 settlement between you two. Sad they just said you both 0:00:38.560 --> 0:00:40.240 could use Williams. Right. 0:00:40.520 --> 0:00:43.920 Well, those Williams. Was the thing is I was first, 0:00:44.320 --> 0:00:46.319 and so they should have made her change her name, 0:00:46.640 --> 0:00:51.120 and she was this light and then everyone was making 0:00:51.200 --> 0:00:55.360 mistake and giving me the L and then and then paramount. 0:00:55.400 --> 0:00:57.360 At some point I think it was like some clerk 0:00:57.440 --> 0:01:01.840 put an a initial was being known as Vanessa and 0:01:01.880 --> 0:01:04.800 all these like floating initials l A, you know, it. 0:01:04.760 --> 0:01:05.399 Was all wrong. 0:01:06.080 --> 0:01:09.200 And then I just of late, just after the pandemic, 0:01:09.280 --> 0:01:10.280 I was like, you know what, I'm just going to 0:01:10.360 --> 0:01:12.720 do all three of the name of my My mama 0:01:12.760 --> 0:01:14.560 gave me Vanessa Estelle Williams. 0:01:14.720 --> 0:01:16.000 It's gorgeous. 0:01:16.680 --> 0:01:18.160 I mean it was Vanessa. 0:01:18.440 --> 0:01:26.399 You look insane, gorgeous. I walked in fell over looked better. 0:01:26.680 --> 0:01:29.080 I really full of resentment. I'm trying to cover us. 0:01:29.040 --> 0:01:31.560 Because beautiful, and I mean we're fine. 0:01:31.680 --> 0:01:33.319 That's true, We're fine, but you. 0:01:35.760 --> 0:01:44.200 Mycular fine not fine fine like fine wine like. 0:01:45.080 --> 0:01:47.280 But honestly, the work has been while they were setting up, 0:01:47.319 --> 0:01:49.640 it's been trying not to talk. 0:01:51.200 --> 0:01:53.480 So now we can really talk about everything. 0:01:53.560 --> 0:01:58.160 Yeah, we've been, we've we've been like we knew each other. 0:01:58.320 --> 0:02:02.080 I mean, listen was the beginning my like real professional 0:02:02.120 --> 0:02:05.320 career in terms of television. So, I mean, we go 0:02:05.440 --> 0:02:07.600 back so far I couldn't. I was watching the episodes 0:02:07.680 --> 0:02:09.400 last night, you know, the one we're going to discuss 0:02:09.440 --> 0:02:12.320 only and then dipping into like the other episodes, and 0:02:12.360 --> 0:02:15.040 I was like, oh my gods, we were such babies. Yeah, 0:02:15.160 --> 0:02:17.600 it seems so long ago, but not that long ago. 0:02:17.680 --> 0:02:20.600 It seems like maybe ten years ago. We do have 0:02:20.680 --> 0:02:21.519 the children in the matter. 0:02:22.800 --> 0:02:24.520 We're just talking about how much fun it would be 0:02:24.520 --> 0:02:26.600 to have all our kids in a picture. And then 0:02:26.960 --> 0:02:29.240 that's to do it like a Melrose picture, like all 0:02:29.280 --> 0:02:30.119 in white. 0:02:29.840 --> 0:02:32.360 And a staircase. Now that's my focus. 0:02:32.400 --> 0:02:34.239 That's what I want to have that happen on a 0:02:34.400 --> 0:02:39.000 staircase like Dynasty, that outside staircase. I wonder if we 0:02:39.040 --> 0:02:41.520 could recreate it, remember that picture. In the first season, 0:02:44.240 --> 0:02:44.560 you got. 0:02:44.480 --> 0:02:46.399 A New York that gap ad. You know, we had 0:02:47.200 --> 0:02:50.320 Annie Lieberwitz, that Annie Lee Express. So I like that. 0:02:50.520 --> 0:02:59.240 Somebody call so do you remember your audition process? 0:02:59.680 --> 0:03:02.520 You can, of course. So they were like, you know, 0:03:02.600 --> 0:03:04.679 I'm new to town, right, I've done a lot of 0:03:04.760 --> 0:03:07.360 theater in New York. I had done a movie, and 0:03:07.400 --> 0:03:08.600 so I was like, let me come out to LA 0:03:08.639 --> 0:03:10.440 and see what's you know, because I'm New York and 0:03:10.520 --> 0:03:12.160 die hard. That's why it's definitely you thought I was 0:03:12.200 --> 0:03:14.640 still living there because I whenever there, I dig in 0:03:14.680 --> 0:03:16.520 and yeah, the places and I you know, I'm just now. 0:03:16.560 --> 0:03:19.840 It was your movie New Jack New Jack City, New 0:03:19.919 --> 0:03:20.520 Jack City. 0:03:20.840 --> 0:03:22.040 There's a bunch of them, right. 0:03:24.160 --> 0:03:24.440 Movie. 0:03:24.520 --> 0:03:29.720 Yeah, It's that launched my beginnings. And I came here 0:03:29.720 --> 0:03:32.080 to just check out LA, you know, because I wasn't 0:03:32.120 --> 0:03:34.720 coming so many of my other active friends had come 0:03:34.840 --> 0:03:36.880 on series, you know, the audition to New York and 0:03:36.920 --> 0:03:39.160 then got flown out to LA and I was the 0:03:39.200 --> 0:03:41.640 kind of the trajectory that was in my head. Then 0:03:41.640 --> 0:03:44.480 I had a breakup with a guy who I adored 0:03:44.480 --> 0:03:45.920 and loved, and I was like, let me get out 0:03:45.920 --> 0:03:46.160 of here. 0:03:46.480 --> 0:03:54.280 We don't test l but I'm still too small court 0:03:54.680 --> 0:03:55.880 and I was just going to test the water. 0:03:55.960 --> 0:03:59.800 So I booked Candy Man all right, was my second, 0:04:00.640 --> 0:04:03.320 and I was like, whoo, they like me, you know, 0:04:03.680 --> 0:04:05.680 you know, I'll give it a year. So I sublet 0:04:05.720 --> 0:04:09.080 my place to Erika Alexander, another wonderful actress friend of mine, 0:04:09.160 --> 0:04:11.360 her boyfriend, and two other roommates of his who were 0:04:11.360 --> 0:04:13.880 also actors, still living in New York. Then I came 0:04:13.920 --> 0:04:17.080 out here, stayed with a girlfriend, stayed and got a place, 0:04:17.520 --> 0:04:20.920 and then did Candy Man, and then I started auditioning. 0:04:21.520 --> 0:04:24.719 Actually also met my you know, would be husband, so 0:04:24.760 --> 0:04:29.159 he was my boyfriend. And the audition process was the 0:04:29.160 --> 0:04:31.800 regular Sandy Gale, go see the casting director. Then I 0:04:31.839 --> 0:04:34.480 had a callback with her. Then it was like go 0:04:34.520 --> 0:04:37.159 see the producers and go see go meet Aaron. 0:04:37.320 --> 0:04:42.039 Okay, so you know, it was like you know spelling, 0:04:42.120 --> 0:04:44.520 it's like in the building and it's like you know 0:04:44.640 --> 0:04:47.600 all the things, and you know, my role, I think 0:04:47.680 --> 0:04:49.839 was originally it was going to be like sort of 0:04:49.880 --> 0:04:51.839 the same kind of nine O two one oh set up. 0:04:51.880 --> 0:04:54.320 We're like a Jewish girl, and so like they said, 0:04:54.360 --> 0:04:57.400 let's go black with the role, and so I was like, okay, 0:04:57.520 --> 0:04:59.400 you know, so. 0:04:58.800 --> 0:05:00.359 So were you sitting in a room out in the 0:05:00.360 --> 0:05:01.560 waiting room with all these. 0:05:01.400 --> 0:05:05.000 Like jewish the other time they got to me, you know, 0:05:05.040 --> 0:05:08.360 it was like yeah, okay, but I just remember meeting 0:05:08.400 --> 0:05:11.800 Spelling and he was so dear and lovely and kind. 0:05:12.520 --> 0:05:14.800 And I did my little to do and my little thing, 0:05:15.120 --> 0:05:17.719 and you know, I got home. Man they called me, 0:05:17.800 --> 0:05:20.679 was like you got it. I was like wow right away, 0:05:20.920 --> 0:05:24.200 right away. Yeah, as I recall as memory serves, I 0:05:24.240 --> 0:05:26.640 don't really really remember, but I don't remember it being 0:05:26.640 --> 0:05:28.800 a very long time before finding out that I had 0:05:28.839 --> 0:05:30.719 a series, and that was like and. 0:05:30.839 --> 0:05:35.800 It wasn't sorry, it was part of your audition or 0:05:35.920 --> 0:05:38.000 part of your role description to be a dancer, and 0:05:38.040 --> 0:05:39.440 did you have to do any of that? 0:05:39.520 --> 0:05:41.040 Like did they want to make sure you dance? 0:05:41.120 --> 0:05:44.200 I didn't have to dance. I mean, thank goodness for 0:05:44.240 --> 0:05:47.599 the dance double Okay, So I was I was always 0:05:47.600 --> 0:05:52.520 an actress who moved well with a dance is hard 0:05:52.960 --> 0:05:57.200 in my next life. So it was really perfect. But yeah, 0:05:57.200 --> 0:05:57.880 that was part of the thing. 0:05:57.960 --> 0:06:00.480 Sold it really well because we were questioning. 0:06:00.600 --> 0:06:02.599 There were some episodes were like no, I think that's 0:06:03.000 --> 0:06:05.240 all of aerobic stuff like the teaching that I can 0:06:05.320 --> 0:06:07.880 handle that yeah, the touch that classic seven eight Yeah, 0:06:08.640 --> 0:06:11.240 but the pirouettes and the you know, I could do 0:06:11.240 --> 0:06:13.520 a part. But you know, so I was watching it 0:06:13.720 --> 0:06:15.560 last night and I was like, oh, yeah, this is 0:06:15.600 --> 0:06:17.760 a devil. Those parts are great. 0:06:18.080 --> 0:06:20.720 Yeah, so you watched the episode was you and your Rival? 0:06:21.000 --> 0:06:21.279 Yes? 0:06:21.400 --> 0:06:25.719 That was fun so much. Is a great, great friend 0:06:25.720 --> 0:06:27.280 of mine. I almost cast her in the in a 0:06:27.360 --> 0:06:34.560 movie that I direct. No, we knew each other, like 0:06:34.600 --> 0:06:36.279 all the sisters kind of knew each other, you know, 0:06:36.520 --> 0:06:39.200 back and forth in auditions and stuff. It'd be always like, 0:06:39.240 --> 0:06:41.599 you know, little mini reunions. Hey, how's it going for you? 0:06:41.600 --> 0:06:43.479 You know, so I knew Gina. I knew Gina. It 0:06:43.520 --> 0:06:46.279 was great that she's Mark, She's she did all of 0:06:46.279 --> 0:06:47.080 her dancing stuff. 0:06:47.120 --> 0:06:48.680 She's a real dancer. 0:06:48.760 --> 0:06:48.920 Yeah. 0:06:49.000 --> 0:06:51.240 Yeah. Do you happen to remember the scene they had 0:06:51.240 --> 0:06:53.880 you auditioned with for Melrose at all? Or no? 0:06:54.000 --> 0:06:55.760 It was it was a scene with Doug. It was 0:06:55.800 --> 0:06:59.279 a met Matt Ronda scene, as I recall, because you 0:06:59.320 --> 0:07:02.680 guys were like, oh yeah, we were we were we 0:07:02.680 --> 0:07:05.200 were bombed. You guys were best the best? 0:07:05.560 --> 0:07:10.400 Yeah, wow, Okay, and so wait, I want to go 0:07:10.480 --> 0:07:12.440 back to right before. So first of all, you came 0:07:12.480 --> 0:07:14.520 out here and you got Candy Man with my friend 0:07:14.600 --> 0:07:15.760 Virginia Madsen, right. 0:07:15.640 --> 0:07:19.120 Oh my god, Virginia was the best, the best. 0:07:19.200 --> 0:07:19.560 Yeah. 0:07:20.480 --> 0:07:23.320 It was Virginia Madson Casey Lemons, who I knew from 0:07:23.400 --> 0:07:26.360 New York and we were we had such a great time. 0:07:26.680 --> 0:07:29.160 I wasn't even shooting in Chicago, but they flew me 0:07:29.240 --> 0:07:32.680 out just to like meet the woman who my my 0:07:32.880 --> 0:07:36.840 role was sort of modeled on. We were in Cabrini Green, 0:07:36.920 --> 0:07:39.440 which was still standing at the time, and it was 0:07:39.480 --> 0:07:42.760 so fascinating and we created the whole project that looked like, 0:07:42.800 --> 0:07:46.120 you know, a prison, and so we met the woman. 0:07:46.280 --> 0:07:49.240 She was so beautiful. Her home was immaculate, like you know, 0:07:49.240 --> 0:07:50.800 it looked like a prison going through all these like 0:07:51.280 --> 0:07:54.200 you know, metal doors and stuff like that, and then 0:07:54.240 --> 0:07:57.520 inside it was like bright and folded towels and it 0:07:57.640 --> 0:08:01.680 was so really really wonderful. And and Virginia and Casey 0:08:01.760 --> 0:08:03.720 had seen that they were shooting there, so I was there. 0:08:03.760 --> 0:08:07.320 I mean, Bernard was so beautiful, and that whole process, 0:08:07.440 --> 0:08:12.160 like my entry to entredeed to Hollywood. In the business, 0:08:13.200 --> 0:08:15.280 I'm seeing the Hollywood side because I had done several 0:08:15.320 --> 0:08:16.960 plays in New York. You know, I was a full 0:08:16.960 --> 0:08:18.800 on actress when I moved out here. Yeah I was 0:08:18.800 --> 0:08:22.760 a girl and girl lady, but still like naive and 0:08:23.040 --> 0:08:27.240 New Green Green too. It was like starting again, you know, 0:08:27.280 --> 0:08:31.760 going from the theater world and commercials to to the 0:08:31.800 --> 0:08:35.280 Los Angeles, the La Hollywood kind of like you know, 0:08:35.360 --> 0:08:37.720 every you know you could. I remember losing a job 0:08:37.760 --> 0:08:39.880 because I wore like my lear tards and tights. I 0:08:39.920 --> 0:08:42.720 was in rehearsal mode and they, you know, I'm like 0:08:42.840 --> 0:08:46.080 theater like yeah, got it together and leg warmings probably 0:08:48.160 --> 0:08:50.000 in New York, but yeah, but I was in my 0:08:50.040 --> 0:08:53.800 all black. I was doing to Jamie Timmy Timmy Fox Show, 0:08:54.120 --> 0:08:56.360 and they replaced me. They were like, oh no, they 0:08:56.400 --> 0:08:58.560 would come through, the producers would come through the redthrough. 0:08:58.720 --> 0:09:00.600 I mean they still paid me, which was lovely. I 0:09:00.640 --> 0:09:02.400 was like, okay, free money, I'll go on a vacation 0:09:03.440 --> 0:09:05.440 precisely precisely. But it was. 0:09:05.640 --> 0:09:08.040 Because they were confused that you weren't dressed in a 0:09:08.080 --> 0:09:08.840 way they understood. 0:09:08.920 --> 0:09:09.040 Well. 0:09:09.040 --> 0:09:11.040 I mean I auditioned and I came in like, you 0:09:11.080 --> 0:09:12.800 know whatever, but now we're doing the work. 0:09:13.040 --> 0:09:14.000 The work of rehearsal. 0:09:14.080 --> 0:09:16.400 Rehearsal I didn't know it was like every and this 0:09:16.520 --> 0:09:20.200 was a valuable lesson, right that I learned because it's like, oh, 0:09:20.280 --> 0:09:23.360 you're always auditioning because at any time they could replace 0:09:23.440 --> 0:09:25.959 you at any time. It's like you're always into LA 0:09:26.120 --> 0:09:29.680 was very like what it looked like. And you know, 0:09:29.720 --> 0:09:32.480 I'm from New York and it's you're growing your character. 0:09:32.679 --> 0:09:34.760 So it was like a whole different mindset than how 0:09:34.800 --> 0:09:36.880 I grew up. I mean I learned. I went to 0:09:36.920 --> 0:09:39.560 Performing Arts High school, so I had been studying the 0:09:39.640 --> 0:09:43.240 craft since fourteen, and I studied with like teachers Tony 0:09:43.280 --> 0:09:46.720 Absen and people like who were about like you could 0:09:46.800 --> 0:09:49.000 change the world with theater, and you can, you know, 0:09:49.040 --> 0:09:51.679 So what we were doing was was a vocation, not 0:09:51.840 --> 0:09:54.760 just like oh your pretty face and you know it's so, 0:09:55.840 --> 0:09:56.120 isn't it. 0:09:56.160 --> 0:09:58.559 You come out here. I mean I didn't start in 0:09:58.640 --> 0:10:00.720 New York, but I did a lot of acting classes 0:10:00.760 --> 0:10:03.120 and I did Beater, and it's like it's a whole 0:10:03.200 --> 0:10:05.280 other game out here. It's a game. 0:10:05.480 --> 0:10:07.960 It's different. It definitely is machine or some sort. 0:10:08.040 --> 0:10:10.480 But so then after I watched some clips of your 0:10:11.080 --> 0:10:13.200 New Jack City and I was so was that was 0:10:13.280 --> 0:10:17.360 right before Melos, Yeah, like right before I was then 0:10:17.400 --> 0:10:18.360 All Star cast. 0:10:18.600 --> 0:10:21.320 It was so like amazing. I was so green on 0:10:21.360 --> 0:10:24.360 that it set too. We had a twenty year reunion. 0:10:24.640 --> 0:10:26.160 I think it's twenty years, could be thirty. 0:10:26.200 --> 0:10:29.520 Whatever the numbers. The numbers loud. It was a while 0:10:29.800 --> 0:10:30.640 said it was thirty. 0:10:31.080 --> 0:10:38.200 Yes, okay, sorry, what seemed like yesterday? But we triedbeca 0:10:38.240 --> 0:10:43.720 film festival did a reunion and so Mario and Michael, 0:10:43.760 --> 0:10:46.960 Michelle and I were among the cast members that were 0:10:47.000 --> 0:10:48.960 there to screen the movie again. And I had my 0:10:49.040 --> 0:10:52.000 kids there and it was just so so marvelous and 0:10:52.040 --> 0:10:54.440 I was green, green as hell, and we're doing the 0:10:54.559 --> 0:10:58.600 like the the talk back, and I tell the story 0:10:58.640 --> 0:10:59.760 of how Mario was like, you want to be in 0:10:59.760 --> 0:11:01.400 this you want to be this movie because I didn't 0:11:01.440 --> 0:11:03.520 know about a three show, like staying in the frame 0:11:03.600 --> 0:11:05.400 of the movie. But it's not like they tell you, 0:11:05.440 --> 0:11:07.320 oh that our frame is here if you go out there, 0:11:07.400 --> 0:11:09.280 you know, so he's you can in there again. I 0:11:09.320 --> 0:11:12.680 was like, oh, okay, so yeah, it was. It was 0:11:12.720 --> 0:11:15.400 a new experience, but it was like you know, in 0:11:15.480 --> 0:11:17.880 terms of like the one thing after another after another, 0:11:17.920 --> 0:11:18.439 after another. 0:11:18.559 --> 0:11:20.400 So that did that prime youth. Sorry, I don't want 0:11:20.400 --> 0:11:22.640 to hug the questions, but I came from films too, 0:11:22.679 --> 0:11:25.520 and when I started doing our TV show, it went 0:11:25.640 --> 0:11:28.480 so fast? Were you ready for how fast these scenes go? 0:11:28.640 --> 0:11:30.000 Like there's not time to prepare? 0:11:30.240 --> 0:11:33.480 Right, See, I had only done the one movie, right, 0:11:33.640 --> 0:11:37.320 So I remember Amy feeling like, oh wait, this is 0:11:37.520 --> 0:11:40.760 way too fast. I'm a film actress. I've got time 0:11:40.800 --> 0:11:44.120 to like just my performance, get my close up. And 0:11:44.160 --> 0:11:46.760 it was like and so for me, it wasn't that 0:11:46.800 --> 0:11:49.120 same transition because I had done so much theater where 0:11:49.120 --> 0:11:51.520 it's like you heard you rehearse and then you know, 0:11:51.760 --> 0:11:54.800 talked to bottom. So I didn't have that same sort 0:11:54.840 --> 0:11:57.440 of uh in terms of like how moving. 0:11:57.520 --> 0:11:59.760 So yeah, it's a big difference. The time in between 0:12:00.000 --> 0:12:03.080 the film is like hours. The time in between is 0:12:03.440 --> 0:12:04.760 maybe twenty minutes. 0:12:04.559 --> 0:12:07.439 Twenty minutes exactly. 0:12:07.559 --> 0:12:09.560 But just the assumption that you know all the things 0:12:09.720 --> 0:12:13.040 like that you're saying, like the two over, like I 0:12:13.320 --> 0:12:15.360 mean I came to Melrose as a new person too, 0:12:15.720 --> 0:12:21.600 and like the assumption is that you're going to know 0:12:21.640 --> 0:12:23.560 those things, and so I remember that feeling of like 0:12:23.640 --> 0:12:25.680 all these terms that were thrown at me was like, hey, 0:12:25.720 --> 0:12:27.320 I'm sorry, what matching? 0:12:27.400 --> 0:12:32.560 What exactly? Exactly? So yeah, but you learn real quick, Yeah, 0:12:32.600 --> 0:12:35.640 real quick. You learned really quickly. And then everyone was 0:12:35.679 --> 0:12:38.320 so kind. Everyone was so I mean. So we were 0:12:38.360 --> 0:12:41.160 talking earlier about how Courtney and I were like, you know, 0:12:41.240 --> 0:12:43.200 like this episode, you're up to you guys, haven't. 0:12:43.320 --> 0:12:45.800 Yeah we have Oh no, you two. Yeah. 0:12:45.840 --> 0:12:48.280 We always can get through our recaps because we keep 0:12:48.320 --> 0:12:49.320 wanting to have our guests on. 0:12:50.360 --> 0:12:52.280 What I think it's fun about watching it again from 0:12:52.320 --> 0:12:55.120 the beginning is I'm watching us all become friends, like 0:12:55.200 --> 0:12:56.959 you watch it in real time like in the beginning, 0:12:56.960 --> 0:12:58.680 and then all of a sudden, we'll see scenes where 0:12:58.679 --> 0:13:00.920 we're actually like looking at each other, they're laughing when 0:13:00.960 --> 0:13:03.400 we're all together. Remember how much fun those scenes were. 0:13:03.360 --> 0:13:09.240 The cart cart I remember my apartment, like the Thanksgivings, 0:13:09.280 --> 0:13:11.360 like all the all those scenes are just like ye 0:13:11.520 --> 0:13:13.960 so crazy shooters. You know that was our hang you 0:13:14.000 --> 0:13:17.440 know we had like the cheers, Yeah, you know, we 0:13:17.480 --> 0:13:21.040 had all of the television tropes and and it's so 0:13:21.120 --> 0:13:24.040 funny like now like knowing, oh that's a theme they introduced, 0:13:24.040 --> 0:13:25.960 and I say they carried it over in fact, I 0:13:26.120 --> 0:13:28.319 noticed like an episode we're talking about where it's just 0:13:28.440 --> 0:13:30.480 call your mother or mother love or something on the 0:13:30.559 --> 0:13:37.600 back of on the which was the b story with 0:13:37.600 --> 0:13:40.600 with Grant and his mom, you know. So it was 0:13:40.760 --> 0:13:42.080 just like I was like, oh, look at that. 0:13:42.120 --> 0:13:44.240 You know, I didn't know that kind of thing. I 0:13:44.320 --> 0:13:45.360 know you did it right. 0:13:45.760 --> 0:13:48.040 I had no idea, Oh this is tying into that. 0:13:48.160 --> 0:13:52.400 So like it was just wonderful training ground because we 0:13:52.440 --> 0:13:55.239 did so many episodes. We did thirty episodes. 0:13:55.360 --> 0:13:58.599 Yeah, unheard us. You're just nowadays. 0:13:59.320 --> 0:14:04.120 You're lucky, are you? 0:14:04.320 --> 0:14:04.520 Yeah? 0:14:04.840 --> 0:14:07.760 Really it was amazing. 0:14:07.800 --> 0:14:11.559 Do you have any like favorite story arcs that that 0:14:11.720 --> 0:14:15.240 you got to participate in or anything that really wait? 0:14:16.080 --> 0:14:16.880 Oh hello, who is it? 0:14:16.920 --> 0:14:18.320 Is it? Doug? He dog? 0:14:18.400 --> 0:14:25.960 I think it's for you. I just called your name, 0:14:26.400 --> 0:14:29.479 honey beautiful. 0:14:32.040 --> 0:14:35.520 That's hilarious. You too, You too? 0:14:36.720 --> 0:14:39.080 You have adult We will that we all have adult 0:14:39.160 --> 0:14:45.880 children and married children like that is like wow, wait, okay, okay, yeah, 0:14:45.880 --> 0:14:51.200 they want me to hold us here? Okay can you 0:14:51.240 --> 0:14:54.360 hear yes, darling, I. 0:14:54.960 --> 0:14:58.560 Last time we were together, like we had kids in school. 0:14:59.200 --> 0:14:59.640 Are kids? 0:14:59.720 --> 0:14:59.880 Yes? 0:15:00.120 --> 0:15:03.960 Yes, Laura and I were just saying how our kids were, right, 0:15:04.440 --> 0:15:06.560 hold on Let's see, we were both in the shop. 0:15:07.440 --> 0:15:10.520 Great because the fans remember those two faces a lot. 0:15:11.760 --> 0:15:15.000 We were talking about. Laura was asking me what were 0:15:15.040 --> 0:15:18.440 some of my favorite scenes, and I was talking about 0:15:18.440 --> 0:15:21.120 all of the scenes we had together. We were such chums. 0:15:21.440 --> 0:15:22.400 We were such. 0:15:22.200 --> 0:15:24.600 Buddies on the show, on and off screen. It was 0:15:24.680 --> 0:15:26.880 so great. Oh did you freeze? 0:15:26.880 --> 0:15:27.480 Okay, there you go? 0:15:29.800 --> 0:15:31.880 So okay good. 0:15:32.160 --> 0:15:34.120 I had all of that. I had all of that 0:15:34.320 --> 0:15:36.280 humiliating dancing to do with you. 0:15:38.120 --> 0:15:40.120 You were coming to the class, you know, because you 0:15:40.120 --> 0:15:46.160 had to keep the body right. Okay, No, they cut it. 0:15:46.160 --> 0:15:47.920 They cut it so we all looked good. We all 0:15:47.960 --> 0:15:50.600 looked so good. That's so great. 0:15:51.160 --> 0:15:53.800 You haven't lost the second of your kindness. 0:15:53.800 --> 0:15:56.680 Oh sweet, that's so funny. And I'm still dancing. I 0:15:56.720 --> 0:15:58.840 still I love to dance. I still go. I go 0:15:58.920 --> 0:16:03.560 to Mama Shelter, you Utopia Tribe, these and I keep 0:16:03.640 --> 0:16:06.520 up with all the DJs, so like, yeah, like I 0:16:06.560 --> 0:16:08.000 love dancing. I love it. 0:16:09.120 --> 0:16:10.800 Wow are you living? 0:16:11.720 --> 0:16:14.640 No, I'm mostly in LA but I get back all 0:16:14.680 --> 0:16:17.360 the time because my oldest Omar is he graduated from 0:16:17.400 --> 0:16:19.960 Cooper Union and now he's working as an artist. 0:16:19.960 --> 0:16:20.200 There. 0:16:20.280 --> 0:16:22.840 We're having an exhibition for him and you'll all be invited. 0:16:23.000 --> 0:16:23.800 So next month. 0:16:23.880 --> 0:16:24.200 Yeah. 0:16:24.240 --> 0:16:27.160 So and then my my youngest who's turning twenty one, 0:16:27.240 --> 0:16:30.960 which is crazy because I was pregnant with him on 0:16:31.080 --> 0:16:34.280 Soul Food. He's turning twenty one next month and he's 0:16:34.280 --> 0:16:37.680 at Chapman and and oh my god. 0:16:37.760 --> 0:16:41.960 Yeah that's yeah, that's great. Yeah, you know he is. 0:16:42.080 --> 0:16:47.040 He's a filmmaker, singer. He's like like, he's making videos. 0:16:47.080 --> 0:16:50.360 All I couldn't. Yeah, I didn't want to. I didn't 0:16:50.400 --> 0:16:51.960 want to, Like I just got out of the way 0:16:51.960 --> 0:16:53.480 and let them show me what they wanted to do. 0:16:55.920 --> 0:16:57.960 You too, How long is your show running? I want 0:16:57.960 --> 0:16:58.680 to come see it. 0:16:59.240 --> 0:17:05.280 Oh god, are until November three? It's been a good time. 0:17:05.359 --> 0:17:16.480 So it's great to see you. 0:17:11.920 --> 0:17:14.200 Have so much to talk about. Thanks for calling call. 0:17:15.480 --> 0:17:17.639 I mean it was so like perfect because I just 0:17:17.680 --> 0:17:20.200 went to your name. Did you get cute? 0:17:23.040 --> 0:17:29.840 You love you? That's so great. Miss. 0:17:30.240 --> 0:17:32.160 We gotta do this like offscreen too. 0:17:33.320 --> 0:17:36.000 That's great. I didn't. That was a total surprise. Well 0:17:36.040 --> 0:17:40.600 to me. Yeah, that great, Thank you. He didn't want 0:17:40.600 --> 0:17:42.119 to miss the opportunity to say hi. 0:17:42.240 --> 0:17:45.879 I love it. You have a great chemistry, you know, 0:17:45.920 --> 0:17:50.879 there was so much chemistry going around. You and Andrew 0:17:50.920 --> 0:17:53.280 got together and we were like we saw it coming. 0:17:53.560 --> 0:17:55.920 But yeah, Doug and I was like, you know, my 0:17:55.920 --> 0:17:58.360 my TV husband to like in that in that we 0:17:58.359 --> 0:18:00.600 were just such good friends. I mean, that was what 0:18:00.600 --> 0:18:03.200 we was saying, Like it was such a beautiful way 0:18:03.359 --> 0:18:07.320 to begin, like, you know, this really Hollywood career because 0:18:07.760 --> 0:18:10.280 even though it got really real and really hollywood, you know, 0:18:10.359 --> 0:18:14.080 we saw and the thing is, we saw things coming 0:18:14.119 --> 0:18:17.520 where people would like do whole through five episodes and 0:18:17.520 --> 0:18:20.760 then be replaced or have to like do their whole 0:18:21.080 --> 0:18:23.880 episode like Amy had to do all of this voiceover 0:18:23.960 --> 0:18:26.679 in a different you know, twing on the accent. You know, 0:18:27.119 --> 0:18:29.880 So it was it was really real. But the day 0:18:29.920 --> 0:18:33.359 to day and and the writing and all the things, 0:18:33.400 --> 0:18:36.240 you know, people, it was a lovely place to work. 0:18:36.400 --> 0:18:39.320 It was a really really loved. 0:18:43.119 --> 0:18:45.159 So so when Amy when they decided to get rid 0:18:45.200 --> 0:18:47.119 of the accent, which was a good call because it 0:18:47.160 --> 0:18:50.640 was uncomfortable after did they have her then you said 0:18:50.640 --> 0:18:54.200 they had her voice double whole show just had to. 0:18:53.840 --> 0:18:57.760 Read dub whole shows Like I don't I don't call 0:18:57.840 --> 0:19:00.399 how many episodes, I just recall how TD it was 0:19:00.400 --> 0:19:00.679 for her. 0:19:00.920 --> 0:19:04.480 Wow, baby, that's in a regular accent and just herself. 0:19:05.400 --> 0:19:09.400 Did they they took the accent away, right, okay? They 0:19:09.720 --> 0:19:12.480 so yeah, So she had to do the whole thing 0:19:12.520 --> 0:19:15.320 over like episodes and episode maybe it was like maybe 0:19:15.400 --> 0:19:16.080 two or three. 0:19:16.520 --> 0:19:18.640 Wow, that's so much many wow. 0:19:18.840 --> 0:19:20.720 Yeah, you know what it's like in an eight R room. 0:19:20.880 --> 0:19:21.840 Oh, it's so awful. 0:19:21.920 --> 0:19:25.400 Yeah, because your your characters were roommates through the time 0:19:25.480 --> 0:19:26.879 that she departed the show. 0:19:27.160 --> 0:19:29.360 She was around episode thirteen, right. 0:19:30.119 --> 0:19:33.560 You know, I guess yeah, because how did they write 0:19:33.560 --> 0:19:34.000 her off? 0:19:34.760 --> 0:19:36.960 I think she's probably going to get an acting gig. 0:19:37.240 --> 0:19:42.760 And yeah, it was still there was a false move 0:19:42.760 --> 0:19:45.119 out that I that I saw in my little my 0:19:45.160 --> 0:19:47.600 little head home recasp yees to get back. 0:19:47.640 --> 0:19:50.399 The fans are probably listening, going, I can tell you 0:19:50.440 --> 0:19:56.399 what it is. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You storyline of 0:19:56.400 --> 0:20:01.840 that episode of like being annoyed by this actress roommate ring. 0:20:01.840 --> 0:20:05.280 True, it was, it did. And you know the thing, 0:20:05.560 --> 0:20:07.719 this is what's so funny about watching the show. It 0:20:07.800 --> 0:20:12.560 was so like innocent, like these times were so instant, 0:20:12.600 --> 0:20:15.280 even though it was like crazy times and we thought 0:20:15.280 --> 0:20:17.440 we were cutting edge and we were right. We were 0:20:17.520 --> 0:20:20.480 but if you're looking back now with this guy, it 0:20:20.520 --> 0:20:23.680 was so so innocent and what we especially that time 0:20:23.720 --> 0:20:26.840 on the show too. Again, I always say the thirty 0:20:26.880 --> 0:20:29.199 something was really really popular, and tell how it was 0:20:29.800 --> 0:20:32.119 sort of relate to me and my agent and stuff, 0:20:32.119 --> 0:20:34.920 that this was going to be a twenty something take, 0:20:35.040 --> 0:20:37.000 you know, where like they're all these actors and young 0:20:37.040 --> 0:20:39.240 people and they're starting their lives. We're thirty something was 0:20:39.240 --> 0:20:43.120 like in the middle of family and you know, they're 0:20:43.119 --> 0:20:45.439 in their thirties and their in careers and whatever, and 0:20:45.440 --> 0:20:47.719 so we were gonna do the same thing but in 0:20:47.720 --> 0:20:49.960 our twenties, right, So like all this acts and stuff 0:20:50.040 --> 0:20:51.760 like that. And then they after the first season, they 0:20:51.800 --> 0:20:53.280 were like, you know what, we're gonna go to the 0:20:53.640 --> 0:20:59.439 the winning Aaron Spelling formula and sexies. Yeah, TV Night 0:20:59.520 --> 0:21:00.240 and tv TV. 0:21:00.280 --> 0:21:02.080 So that's what we're really noticing that it's a comple 0:21:02.160 --> 0:21:03.399 We were like, what sure are we? 0:21:03.680 --> 0:21:07.280 I know, I remember that, like it wasn't a big 0:21:07.600 --> 0:21:10.120 big fanfare when we were released, and then it really 0:21:10.160 --> 0:21:12.200 didn't do well because it was sort of this sweet show. 0:21:12.240 --> 0:21:14.080 But I want to ask about that episode because so 0:21:14.119 --> 0:21:18.359 the episode when when Sandy gets a job and your character, 0:21:18.400 --> 0:21:20.280 and I wonder how you were directed because your character 0:21:20.440 --> 0:21:22.280 is just annoyed with her from the like she says, 0:21:22.560 --> 0:21:27.000 pass me this sault. You're like, oh, miss actress. They 0:21:27.000 --> 0:21:28.399 were like you just got to go after her for 0:21:28.720 --> 0:21:30.280 I'm sure you're like, she just got a job. 0:21:30.480 --> 0:21:33.359 I know, right, you know, it was it was a 0:21:33.400 --> 0:21:35.920 disconnect because that was never how I acted in real life, 0:21:36.040 --> 0:21:39.000 you know. And and I you know, I guess they 0:21:39.080 --> 0:21:41.439 was just looking for the drama and like this is 0:21:41.480 --> 0:21:43.920 how people would act, and I guess this would be 0:21:44.240 --> 0:21:47.200 more interesting to watch. Yeah, you know, and I think again, 0:21:47.240 --> 0:21:49.879 like they were tweaking my character, like they didn't really know. 0:21:50.200 --> 0:21:52.880 There were no black writers on the show, so it 0:21:52.920 --> 0:21:55.080 was like there was not a real voice of anyone 0:21:55.080 --> 0:21:58.240 who like what had Ronda's experience, And like I said, 0:21:58.280 --> 0:22:00.919 they were finding the characters and figuring out, you know, 0:22:01.040 --> 0:22:03.960 just how she would respond. So I, as the actors, 0:22:04.000 --> 0:22:06.119 was trying to find some levels to it and whatever. 0:22:06.160 --> 0:22:08.240 But you know, you can't control like what they cut, 0:22:08.800 --> 0:22:11.040 you know, how it gets edited together and what point 0:22:11.119 --> 0:22:14.080 they were trying to make based on whatever the other 0:22:14.119 --> 0:22:17.240 storylines were too, And so you know, I just I 0:22:17.240 --> 0:22:19.520 could justify you know watching it, well, you know, the 0:22:19.520 --> 0:22:22.240 balloons come in and then here's this like selfish girl. 0:22:22.240 --> 0:22:24.240 Oh I got to run out to my Holly party. 0:22:24.440 --> 0:22:26.600 And then what I thought when I was watching it too, 0:22:26.960 --> 0:22:29.919 was you know anything it happened up in that party, 0:22:30.000 --> 0:22:33.119 Like she's going out without her roommate. Like I was like, no, 0:22:33.600 --> 0:22:35.480 she would have taken her girl, you know, or some 0:22:35.640 --> 0:22:39.000 friend with her to make sure. Now do we know 0:22:39.040 --> 0:22:40.280 what Hollywood is with? 0:22:40.440 --> 0:22:42.240 I mean, don't you think it's interesting here in twenty 0:22:42.280 --> 0:22:43.560 twenty four looking. 0:22:43.240 --> 0:22:48.120 Back at how innocent innocent and how things we didn't 0:22:48.119 --> 0:22:51.560 think at the time didn't notice just like, Okay, well 0:22:51.600 --> 0:22:53.280 I got to say I did love those hats, though 0:22:54.320 --> 0:22:55.840 I kept those hats. 0:22:57.800 --> 0:22:59.200 Did you get to keep from. 0:22:58.880 --> 0:23:05.200 Some of those pieces were my own? Occually was? And 0:23:05.600 --> 0:23:07.560 but you know it was very you know I was like, oh, 0:23:07.560 --> 0:23:10.680 that's still my style, but colectic off the shoulder, Yeah, 0:23:11.080 --> 0:23:13.120 you had a real style, You had a real she 0:23:13.240 --> 0:23:15.119 was She was really great. And I think that the 0:23:15.320 --> 0:23:18.000 costume people really pulled from what was going on in 0:23:18.040 --> 0:23:20.119 the day. You know, all of that, you know, leisure 0:23:20.200 --> 0:23:22.960 wear as out of wear, you know, the tights, the 0:23:23.680 --> 0:23:27.080 leg warmers and the button always combat boot, always combat. 0:23:26.800 --> 0:23:27.320 Boot, right. 0:23:27.640 --> 0:23:28.679 So it was fun. 0:23:28.800 --> 0:23:30.520 It was so you did have a say in that 0:23:30.560 --> 0:23:33.359 with the wardrobe person say like, bring you things that 0:23:33.440 --> 0:23:34.000 you liked. 0:23:34.080 --> 0:23:36.159 Mostly they brought me things that like in and you know, 0:23:36.280 --> 0:23:38.480 occasionally I was like, oh I have this, and you know, 0:23:38.840 --> 0:23:42.160 it was like a collaboration and certainly all like the wraps, 0:23:42.200 --> 0:23:44.320 the African raps, and you know, because my whole thing 0:23:44.520 --> 0:23:46.479 was like my hair is natural, this how it comes 0:23:46.520 --> 0:23:48.639 down my head. You know, when I got to Hollywood, 0:23:48.960 --> 0:23:51.040 every black girl had to weave down to her next 0:23:51.080 --> 0:23:54.320 So it was radical to be on a TV show 0:23:54.720 --> 0:23:58.280 with like little tiny butting locks and you know, twist 0:23:58.320 --> 0:24:00.719 out and just like you know, here I am like 0:24:00.800 --> 0:24:03.040 this is beautiful too. You know, I've always felt like 0:24:03.080 --> 0:24:06.800 politically conscious and you know I call myself a naturalistu 0:24:06.960 --> 0:24:10.720 og the og huh yeah, because there's that whole movement 0:24:10.800 --> 0:24:13.760 of natural hair, and you know, being not having to 0:24:13.920 --> 0:24:16.679 keep up with any other kind of standard beauty as 0:24:16.720 --> 0:24:18.120 a Ronda was really killing that. 0:24:18.320 --> 0:24:19.240 Well, that's amazing. 0:24:19.359 --> 0:24:21.119 That really wasn't ahead of your time because that just 0:24:21.160 --> 0:24:22.919 came back up a few years ago. Ye were so 0:24:23.080 --> 0:24:23.960 far ahead of time. 0:24:24.119 --> 0:24:26.479 Was kudos to them for embracing it. This is what 0:24:26.520 --> 0:24:28.800 I'm saying that I got hired like that. You know, 0:24:28.920 --> 0:24:31.280 it was really they were really moving the needle and 0:24:31.400 --> 0:24:34.840 really conscious of it. Darren was really great to you know, 0:24:34.880 --> 0:24:36.879 as we go to talk about that, you know, the 0:24:36.960 --> 0:24:41.120 aftermath kind of episode or where I read an initial 0:24:41.200 --> 0:24:44.159 draft and I was like, Ronda can't say, you know, 0:24:44.200 --> 0:24:46.640 I know that they're black people, say those people, I said, 0:24:46.680 --> 0:24:49.840 but you know, Ronda can't. Ronda can't as much as 0:24:49.840 --> 0:24:51.960 she's out of touch with baby, her community and she's 0:24:51.960 --> 0:24:53.800 been in this bubble and in a suburban bubble and 0:24:53.840 --> 0:24:56.359 all our friends or you know, mostly white people, you know, 0:24:56.520 --> 0:24:59.760 she can't. She can't really say, she can't really disassociate 0:24:59.800 --> 0:25:03.320 hers so much. Like I was like, I didn't want 0:25:03.560 --> 0:25:07.199 my myself and my character to be confused that this 0:25:07.240 --> 0:25:09.560 would somehow be like my point of view. So I 0:25:09.600 --> 0:25:11.280 was like, yeah, she can. She can say that, but 0:25:11.359 --> 0:25:14.320 she can't point over there like these people are different 0:25:14.400 --> 0:25:18.160 than her. And so it turned the whole gist of 0:25:18.200 --> 0:25:21.199 the story. I was so grateful, Oh you expressed that, 0:25:21.400 --> 0:25:24.320 and then they that Darren, Darren heard me. I had 0:25:24.320 --> 0:25:26.639 a whole little meeting with you do oh. 0:25:26.520 --> 0:25:28.440 I did. So what was the script originally? 0:25:29.200 --> 0:25:33.560 What ie the vibe? I can't remember precisely, but I 0:25:33.600 --> 0:25:37.919 went in there and I talked about that that that 0:25:38.640 --> 0:25:42.520 I didn't want to like be so out of it, right, 0:25:42.920 --> 0:25:44.399 that I didn't want ron to Chart to be so 0:25:44.480 --> 0:25:46.960 out of it that she also was saying those people 0:25:47.040 --> 0:25:47.560 over there. 0:25:47.680 --> 0:25:49.840 So let me just for our audience. You didn't see 0:25:49.880 --> 0:25:52.119 it because not everyone follows along, but this is the 0:25:52.160 --> 0:25:55.280 episode where it's the same year as the Rodney. 0:25:55.359 --> 0:25:57.640 What's the same year exactly? Because I was I was watching, 0:25:57.680 --> 0:25:59.119 I said, let me see when did this happen? And 0:25:59.160 --> 0:26:02.159 when did we shoot this? So the started and the 0:26:02.240 --> 0:26:05.920 verdict happened in May of ninety two, right, and we 0:26:06.080 --> 0:26:09.959 and this show that episode aired in September, right, so 0:26:10.040 --> 0:26:10.760 it was fresh. 0:26:10.840 --> 0:26:13.000 So that episode what happened in the episode? 0:26:13.400 --> 0:26:17.080 So in the episode, you know, Ronda, well Billy comes 0:26:17.119 --> 0:26:19.879 back and he's gotten robbed, and you know, I was 0:26:19.920 --> 0:26:21.240 so glad they cut away because I was like, what 0:26:21.280 --> 0:26:23.440 happens to be like, how's this happening? And we're all 0:26:23.520 --> 0:26:26.520 all of the whole you know, home crew is like concerned, 0:26:26.560 --> 0:26:29.080 like what happened? And he's just like, yeah, I got 0:26:29.119 --> 0:26:31.119 you know whatever, the car got robbed, but he just 0:26:31.160 --> 0:26:33.600 got robbed. But there's not a scar on him, There's 0:26:33.640 --> 0:26:36.360 not anything. And it was like a dangerous time because 0:26:36.680 --> 0:26:39.400 you know, the riots had happened, all of this angst 0:26:40.000 --> 0:26:44.240 about the policing of those of our neighborhoods and everything 0:26:44.680 --> 0:26:48.119 was really at the fore. It was really really you know, 0:26:48.280 --> 0:26:48.960 volatile time. 0:26:49.320 --> 0:26:50.840 Yeah, and he was down in South Central. 0:26:50.920 --> 0:26:52.720 He was dropping of a lady in South Central and 0:26:52.720 --> 0:26:54.880 then his car gets robbed and like it's kid's cab 0:26:54.960 --> 0:26:57.439 gets like you know, bashed in. But he did. They 0:26:57.520 --> 0:27:00.480 just take him for his money, right, and then what 0:27:00.560 --> 0:27:03.359 else happened to hell. 0:27:02.480 --> 0:27:05.000 You're talking about the scene when he comes back and 0:27:05.000 --> 0:27:07.399 he said, I'm not going to go down there again. 0:27:08.000 --> 0:27:11.520 Right, It's like he makes some sort of he makes 0:27:11.520 --> 0:27:21.400 some sort of deflection about those kinds of people. Yeah, yes, right, 0:27:21.520 --> 0:27:24.119 not like this is a specific thing that happened. I 0:27:24.160 --> 0:27:28.560 got jacked and these guys whatever. He just like blankets 0:27:28.600 --> 0:27:31.680 the whole area. And that was a sentiment like, oh, 0:27:31.720 --> 0:27:33.960 don't go down into the jungle. And you know, Ronda says, 0:27:34.000 --> 0:27:36.040 oh what the jungle, and all these things like that. 0:27:36.160 --> 0:27:39.119 So Ronda takes it like, oh, what are you saying 0:27:39.240 --> 0:27:41.800 about the community that I come from? Just because I 0:27:41.960 --> 0:27:45.040 live here with you guys and I'm in this mumble 0:27:45.080 --> 0:27:47.159 And then she it also causes her to reflect. So 0:27:47.240 --> 0:27:50.560 this is what I go into Darren's office with with, Like, 0:27:51.000 --> 0:27:55.240 you know, she can't be part of among the people 0:27:55.280 --> 0:27:59.199 saying those people over there and I'm separate from that. 0:27:59.280 --> 0:28:01.880 She's got to realize, Oh, I need to grow myself. 0:28:02.280 --> 0:28:04.600 I've been away out of context. I haven't seen my grandmam, 0:28:04.680 --> 0:28:07.200 my cousin, you know, whoever still lives in South Central whatever. 0:28:07.520 --> 0:28:08.960 And that was the thing, like we never got to 0:28:09.000 --> 0:28:13.920 see Rhonda's background, right, but certainly, you know she knows 0:28:13.960 --> 0:28:15.760 people there. She you know, she's a part of that 0:28:15.800 --> 0:28:19.040 community no matter where you know, where you are. And 0:28:19.040 --> 0:28:23.600 and so I was just really grateful that he that 0:28:23.600 --> 0:28:26.760 that Darren really heard me and turned it into Okay, 0:28:26.840 --> 0:28:29.240 let's everybody have an awakening. Awakening. 0:28:29.640 --> 0:28:32.679 Yeah, that's great. Yea, I love the whole story. 0:28:33.240 --> 0:28:35.119 I'm so happy because we were talking about it, when 0:28:35.119 --> 0:28:37.600 we talked about the episode, We're saying, I wonder what 0:28:37.640 --> 0:28:39.760 that was like for you because there were very few 0:28:39.760 --> 0:28:41.480 women on the writing staff, there may have been one 0:28:41.520 --> 0:28:43.520 at that point and you know black people at all. 0:28:43.880 --> 0:28:46.360 And I love that makes sense because it really felt 0:28:46.360 --> 0:28:47.800 like they had a pretty good handle on it. 0:28:49.080 --> 0:28:49.840 Why because it was. 0:28:49.880 --> 0:28:54.040 Yeah, I really talked about and more real than a 0:28:54.160 --> 0:28:57.760 stere cliche storyline, right, which it could have been. 0:28:57.800 --> 0:28:59.640 It easily easily could have been. And I think that 0:28:59.680 --> 0:29:03.560 you know, to our level of commitment to craft and 0:29:03.640 --> 0:29:06.600 really going deeper with it, and their commitment to like 0:29:06.680 --> 0:29:09.920 really telling a story. Again, like the focus of it 0:29:10.000 --> 0:29:16.240 was really about, you know, young adults growing into themselves 0:29:16.240 --> 0:29:19.080 and what kind of world they wanted to create and 0:29:19.120 --> 0:29:22.600 live in and how their worldview would would be right. 0:29:22.640 --> 0:29:24.480 I love that you did that though, because it took courage. 0:29:24.720 --> 0:29:26.400 So we talk a lot of it was exact word, 0:29:26.480 --> 0:29:28.720 we had to do everything. So I love that you 0:29:28.760 --> 0:29:30.960 had the courage to call them and say this doesn't 0:29:30.960 --> 0:29:33.000 feel authentic, man, and that they listened. 0:29:33.080 --> 0:29:35.400 It was really it was really powerful, and it was 0:29:35.440 --> 0:29:37.360 sort of like I was nervous to do it. I 0:29:38.040 --> 0:29:39.760 was like, and it's not like I went through my 0:29:39.760 --> 0:29:41.200 agent and say hey, I want to have it, like 0:29:41.240 --> 0:29:45.400 I just but we had already there had been this 0:29:45.480 --> 0:29:50.480 sort of like familiarity within the production company and Aaron 0:29:50.720 --> 0:29:54.960 and Darren that I felt that I could come when 0:29:55.000 --> 0:29:58.520 something troubled me. I knew regardless that I couldn't live 0:29:58.560 --> 0:30:01.040 with myself without sayings they had listened to or not. 0:30:01.320 --> 0:30:03.040 I was going to have to act my way through 0:30:03.360 --> 0:30:05.480 those deeper meanings or the meanings that I was trying 0:30:05.520 --> 0:30:08.240 to say. It was moving to be to be able 0:30:08.240 --> 0:30:09.760 to affect the change, like. 0:30:09.800 --> 0:30:13.120 Yeah, did you feel like that in other storylines. 0:30:12.680 --> 0:30:14.920 Like did you find yourself like with that door open? 0:30:15.040 --> 0:30:17.080 Was that then an ongoing conversation that you. 0:30:17.400 --> 0:30:20.360 It wasn't necessarily an ongoing conversation, listen, I was happy 0:30:20.360 --> 0:30:23.680 to be there, Yeah, okay, like I want to pay job. 0:30:23.840 --> 0:30:24.360 No, it wasn't. 0:30:24.400 --> 0:30:26.120 It wasn't that I felt like I would be pushing 0:30:26.200 --> 0:30:28.760 or anything. But it never got like that sensitive about 0:30:28.800 --> 0:30:30.440 these like racial kinds of things. 0:30:30.880 --> 0:30:31.080 You know. 0:30:31.360 --> 0:30:35.000 Then it just became universal themes of like relationships with 0:30:35.040 --> 0:30:37.640 your MoMA, you know, what do your friends say? And 0:30:37.800 --> 0:30:40.600 the act or the actor as like that wasn't that 0:30:40.680 --> 0:30:42.320 wasn't something I needed to go to the back to 0:30:42.400 --> 0:30:44.320 back right, you know, like you know what I mean? 0:30:44.520 --> 0:30:46.200 It was just like Okay, this is this could be 0:30:46.240 --> 0:30:49.360 somebody's take on it. Another episode that comes to mind 0:30:49.520 --> 0:30:53.280 was when raid On Chong came talking about Roommates from Hell. 0:30:53.360 --> 0:30:54.480 But that how far along. 0:30:54.320 --> 0:30:57.360 We're we're we're about to watch it. 0:30:57.560 --> 0:30:59.920 Oh, you can talk about because because because it's after 0:31:00.080 --> 0:31:04.160 Amy leaves. Oh, and then she comes in, I get 0:31:04.200 --> 0:31:08.480 like this single white female kind of It's just like 0:31:08.840 --> 0:31:12.640 she's you know, she's like commandeering my life and rearranging 0:31:12.680 --> 0:31:16.120 my my my hangars in my closet and I'm like, 0:31:16.160 --> 0:31:20.120 where is my Oh I cleaned everything with bleach and 0:31:19.640 --> 0:31:23.960 it was just like, my god, so funny. And ray 0:31:24.160 --> 0:31:26.840 Raydn is such a marvelous actress, so it was like 0:31:26.920 --> 0:31:29.480 beautiful having her as a guest star and having to 0:31:29.520 --> 0:31:32.240 do all that. And she was such a like differential 0:31:32.280 --> 0:31:35.360 from any character we'd ever seen her play, So she 0:31:35.520 --> 0:31:37.840 was on it. 0:31:37.960 --> 0:31:39.200 We had such great guest stars. 0:31:39.200 --> 0:31:40.960 You talked about that a lot, how much fun it 0:31:41.000 --> 0:31:43.240 is to see who came through. I missed that about 0:31:43.280 --> 0:31:45.440 being a regular on the show. I miss meeting all 0:31:45.480 --> 0:31:46.880 the people you get to come from, get. 0:31:46.800 --> 0:31:48.640 To work, and wonderful directors as well. 0:31:49.000 --> 0:31:53.880 You know, what do you remember? I don't know. After 0:31:53.920 --> 0:31:54.480 thirty years. 0:31:54.480 --> 0:31:56.960 We can't remember some of them who come back to 0:31:57.120 --> 0:32:02.440 Richard Lang. We remember Dannie Carell and Charlie Carrell. 0:32:02.360 --> 0:32:04.760 Talked about Victoria with Thomas. You had a hard time 0:32:04.760 --> 0:32:06.680 with Victoria Hackburg. I don't know if. 0:32:08.080 --> 0:32:13.360 Rooney Bean that's what I was Bethan Rooney. And then 0:32:13.400 --> 0:32:17.120 I worked with Bethany again on some other shows. But 0:32:17.400 --> 0:32:21.040 Bethany was great. She's amazing. What she wanted she really did. 0:32:21.160 --> 0:32:22.840 She was like she was she was a mom too, 0:32:22.840 --> 0:32:25.360 and she was like okay. She really had a way 0:32:25.400 --> 0:32:28.760 of like nurturing way of talking to actors. I loved it. Yeah, 0:32:29.640 --> 0:32:30.320 clear vision. 0:32:30.600 --> 0:32:32.800 Yeah, she was connected us and the men. It's happened 0:32:32.800 --> 0:32:34.520 with all the women directors. The men would go are 0:32:34.560 --> 0:32:35.640 you sure, and she would. 0:32:35.440 --> 0:32:38.840 Go, I am. And think about how like love that 0:32:38.880 --> 0:32:39.240 she was. 0:32:39.360 --> 0:32:42.040 So she knew exactly what she wanted to go. Really, 0:32:42.120 --> 0:32:44.880 She's like yes, and I was like, oh, that's why 0:32:44.920 --> 0:32:45.280 I want to be. 0:32:45.480 --> 0:32:49.120 These were very crucial times in our social constructs, of 0:32:49.120 --> 0:32:52.520 of of of ideas about women. And you know this, 0:32:52.720 --> 0:32:55.800 the nineties were really really volt times. You know, we 0:32:55.840 --> 0:32:58.840 look back now and think, yeah, you know, you know, 0:32:59.440 --> 0:33:02.400 women's rye and all the things, but we were moving 0:33:02.440 --> 0:33:06.720 the needle so far in those times, and yeah, it 0:33:06.800 --> 0:33:07.880 was really cutting edge. 0:33:08.320 --> 0:33:10.560 That's a good point that you're saying, Vanessa, because I 0:33:10.600 --> 0:33:14.520 think of the nineties and again my age being so young, 0:33:14.600 --> 0:33:16.680 like you're saying, we're also young, and so I think 0:33:16.680 --> 0:33:19.560 of it as a very nostalgic, joyful time, but you 0:33:19.680 --> 0:33:24.080 forget what really, in a bigger sense, those times were about. 0:33:24.400 --> 0:33:26.880 For sure. I mean that we can list all these 0:33:26.960 --> 0:33:30.760 women directors on our show that wasn't the norm. 0:33:31.120 --> 0:33:35.840 Yeah, and even yeah, and even and even the storylines 0:33:35.880 --> 0:33:38.440 you know, we went back to I've seen a lot 0:33:38.480 --> 0:33:41.600 of them now and just all the drama that they 0:33:41.640 --> 0:33:43.560 came up with was violence against women. 0:33:43.920 --> 0:33:45.680 Yes, go to Yes, I mean. 0:33:45.840 --> 0:33:48.400 That did you feel that coming in the season one? 0:33:48.480 --> 0:33:48.760 Did that? 0:33:49.080 --> 0:33:49.200 Well? 0:33:49.280 --> 0:33:53.360 Remember they the episode where Amy is getting stalked, Like 0:33:53.400 --> 0:33:59.880 it's a light stalking, Yeah, you know, it's yeah, there's flowers. 0:34:00.520 --> 0:34:02.960 But I was like, oh, this was them touching at 0:34:03.080 --> 0:34:05.960 some really deeper stuff that was happening, you know, But 0:34:06.040 --> 0:34:08.960 I feel like they were really trying to balance this, 0:34:09.160 --> 0:34:12.400 you know, nine oh two one oh echoes, right, Like 0:34:12.480 --> 0:34:16.360 we were like in that sauce of that with doing 0:34:16.719 --> 0:34:22.360 much more cutting edge, deep, you know, thirty something ideology 0:34:22.440 --> 0:34:23.640 and and themes. 0:34:24.120 --> 0:34:26.160 I think they as a show we're trying to figure 0:34:26.200 --> 0:34:29.319 themselves out. Yeah, we're all saying yeah, because there's some 0:34:29.360 --> 0:34:33.640 of your storylines about the I'm thinking of you with Terrence. 0:34:34.000 --> 0:34:37.080 And though I didn't watch those again okay, yeah, we 0:34:37.160 --> 0:34:41.760 haven't watched Gotten, but I just remember what you thought 0:34:41.760 --> 0:34:42.000 of that. 0:34:42.200 --> 0:34:43.920 I was wondering, wasn't you on for a while? 0:34:44.239 --> 0:34:47.719 Yes, Yes, I think I think Ronda was really like 0:34:47.960 --> 0:34:50.080 moving through. Okay. Am I an artist? Am I a 0:34:50.160 --> 0:34:54.560 career woman, an entrepreneur? I've got my business here, and 0:34:54.600 --> 0:34:56.839 then there's some man who wants to come and just 0:34:56.880 --> 0:34:59.160 swoop me up and just you know, put me in 0:34:59.200 --> 0:35:05.880 as a trad wife, right exactly. And so you know 0:35:05.960 --> 0:35:07.680 that ski Oh that was one of the outfits I 0:35:07.680 --> 0:35:11.600 wish I had kept. Oh my goodness, this one suit. 0:35:11.760 --> 0:35:13.800 You know, this wash is such a great thing. He 0:35:13.840 --> 0:35:16.120 took me skiing like so he was taking her out 0:35:16.160 --> 0:35:19.040 of her, you know, out of her what she could. 0:35:18.920 --> 0:35:21.879 Have shown her, what he could be with him. 0:35:22.120 --> 0:35:23.719 But she was like, listen, I'm not such an eat. 0:35:23.800 --> 0:35:27.200 You can't just buy me. Hold on, I've got career 0:35:27.280 --> 0:35:29.880 moves and other things I want to do. So really, 0:35:29.960 --> 0:35:32.520 you know, I think these were ideas and themes that 0:35:32.600 --> 0:35:36.279 women were going through, age were going through. Yeah, so attracted, 0:35:36.400 --> 0:35:37.480 tract with what we've got. 0:35:37.480 --> 0:35:39.520 An over guy comes in who has a career and 0:35:39.520 --> 0:35:41.279 stuff and kind of just takes you to all this 0:35:41.360 --> 0:35:42.320 fancy stuff. 0:35:42.080 --> 0:35:45.480 With important fancy you know me now, So yeah, we're 0:35:45.520 --> 0:35:47.040 gonna do this together, you know. 0:35:47.440 --> 0:35:49.200 But you pick up, you come back to the apartment, 0:35:49.800 --> 0:35:52.879 you picked up, you pick your buds, right, yes, yeah, 0:35:53.320 --> 0:35:54.120 what was the outpit? 0:35:54.920 --> 0:36:02.640 That outfit was like a beautiful like onesie no, no, no, no, 0:36:02.800 --> 0:36:07.640 when he took me skiing ski out But can we 0:36:07.680 --> 0:36:12.920 talk about my kiss with Nestor? Oh that was my 0:36:13.200 --> 0:36:18.520 first on screen kids, Oh my goodness. I never thought 0:36:18.560 --> 0:36:22.280 of myself as a leading lady. So to be able 0:36:22.320 --> 0:36:25.359 to have an on screen kiss, it was just like 0:36:25.400 --> 0:36:27.680 I was always like the sidekick, the friend, you know, 0:36:28.400 --> 0:36:31.799 you know, and so to like have a kiss, it 0:36:31.880 --> 0:36:35.120 was so so great, was it? It was so great? 0:36:35.360 --> 0:36:36.440 Was he? What was he like? 0:36:36.520 --> 0:36:38.680 He was marvels We had the same agent actually, so 0:36:38.680 --> 0:36:41.000 that was he was cool. He was very you know, 0:36:43.040 --> 0:36:46.040 just beautiful and marvelous. So so that was great too. Okay, 0:36:46.080 --> 0:36:48.920 like in terms of how the this was, this was 0:36:48.920 --> 0:36:52.440 good feedback that we got. So originally, you know, my 0:36:52.560 --> 0:36:54.400 character Ronda was going to be sort of like a 0:36:54.440 --> 0:36:57.040 plane chain and you couldn't really get a date, and 0:36:57.040 --> 0:36:59.680 they were going with that, with that idea, and then 0:36:59.719 --> 0:37:02.480 they then then then it wasn't really tracking. 0:37:05.480 --> 0:37:06.279 If she can't get. 0:37:08.280 --> 0:37:11.080 And then I started to have like boy friends and 0:37:11.160 --> 0:37:13.640 all these things. So that was so much fun. 0:37:14.080 --> 0:37:16.880 That was really really nice. So you did have effect 0:37:16.880 --> 0:37:17.680 there too. Yeah. 0:37:17.880 --> 0:37:20.080 Again again you know they wrote toward the character. That's 0:37:20.200 --> 0:37:22.360 that was also like what you know, good writers do, 0:37:22.400 --> 0:37:25.080 a good writing staff do well, they'll write to the 0:37:25.600 --> 0:37:28.719 to the. 0:37:27.360 --> 0:37:29.680 The chemistry that's already there. Yeah. Energy. 0:37:30.600 --> 0:37:33.120 Yeah. One of our fan questions that I thought was 0:37:33.200 --> 0:37:36.600 so hilarious is are you upset that they're the only 0:37:36.600 --> 0:37:38.560 one who didn't get to have a relationship with Grant? 0:37:39.120 --> 0:37:40.560 Yeah? I am. 0:37:40.880 --> 0:37:43.240 And you know the reason, it's not that they didn't 0:37:43.280 --> 0:37:47.560 consider it. I think the affiliates in Middle America weren't 0:37:47.560 --> 0:37:49.320 really going to buy it. Guys. You got to remember 0:37:49.360 --> 0:37:53.200 what times we were These were really like not eve 0:37:53.200 --> 0:37:56.520 all times the audience was not WOA, which is a 0:37:56.560 --> 0:37:59.200 good thing awaken to like where we need to grow 0:37:59.239 --> 0:38:01.080 and where we need to you know, we're taking back 0:38:01.120 --> 0:38:04.600 that term. It's it's like the audience wasn't ready. So yeah, 0:38:05.040 --> 0:38:06.799 so it was a it was a big thing, you 0:38:06.800 --> 0:38:11.120 know for me to even kiss you know, nestor really yeah, 0:38:11.480 --> 0:38:13.479 of course, I mean, of course Grant would be getting around. 0:38:13.520 --> 0:38:14.920 Of course Grant would be getting. 0:38:14.719 --> 0:38:15.560 The black girl. 0:38:18.320 --> 0:38:22.280 Ye black lovers off camera kidding me and she's a dancer, 0:38:22.920 --> 0:38:28.640 come on, So talking about Stevie, Yeah, I. 0:38:28.719 --> 0:38:29.640 Could have calmed Darren. 0:38:35.280 --> 0:38:37.799 Did you feel that, like through the course of season one, 0:38:37.800 --> 0:38:40.000 did you feel like the writing was there for you 0:38:40.120 --> 0:38:42.320 or like, did you see as the show is evolving, 0:38:42.320 --> 0:38:44.799 because we've had people say like, and I think you've 0:38:44.840 --> 0:38:48.040 even mentioned in interviews, like there were no black writers. 0:38:47.719 --> 0:38:49.239 And they didn't really know what to do with your character. 0:38:49.280 --> 0:38:50.200 They didn't know what. 0:38:50.120 --> 0:38:52.440 To do with my character, which is why eventually, like 0:38:52.480 --> 0:38:54.879 I left, especially when the show turned from like it's 0:38:54.880 --> 0:38:56.640 just gonna be nighttime soap opera and everybody's gonna be 0:38:56.640 --> 0:38:58.560 sleeping with everybody's like they didn't know what to do. 0:38:58.920 --> 0:39:01.440 But I never felt it. I never felt it. I 0:39:01.440 --> 0:39:04.719 got just as many fan letters. I was. I went 0:39:04.760 --> 0:39:07.160 to Spelling's house, you know, when we got through, when 0:39:07.160 --> 0:39:09.040 we got the pickups, I thought, I was going on, 0:39:09.320 --> 0:39:10.560 we're the rest with everyone. 0:39:10.680 --> 0:39:13.600 Everyone's going to be sleeping with everybody, and I that's 0:39:13.640 --> 0:39:17.239 such a fascinating No. No, of course, you know what. 0:39:17.280 --> 0:39:19.359 I brought outside people in for me, so I got 0:39:19.360 --> 0:39:21.440 to keep my good girl here. I sleep with outside people. 0:39:22.160 --> 0:39:24.440 But but that's an interesting thing. If they don't have 0:39:24.520 --> 0:39:28.759 people sleeping with everybody, and if they can't have interracial couples, 0:39:29.080 --> 0:39:30.719 how complicated that my. 0:39:30.719 --> 0:39:33.479 Mind is being it was going to be, and they're 0:39:33.480 --> 0:39:36.880 not being a writer in the room to reflect you know, 0:39:37.680 --> 0:39:40.960 that storyline, that character, you know, it just it just 0:39:41.000 --> 0:39:44.560 it matters, It really really matters. And so I didn't 0:39:44.640 --> 0:39:48.200 feel like I needed to, you know, go in there 0:39:48.400 --> 0:39:51.480 and advocate for any kinds of storylines. I was having 0:39:51.520 --> 0:39:55.080 a good time. Yeah, the clothing and the camaraderie. I 0:39:55.120 --> 0:39:57.200 was engaged with all of the certain line. No matter 0:39:57.239 --> 0:39:59.600 what the storyline is, Ronda always had something to say 0:40:00.080 --> 0:40:02.680 take on it. So you know, I was fine. And 0:40:02.680 --> 0:40:04.960 and like I said, it turned from her being like, 0:40:05.000 --> 0:40:07.120 you know, hard to date and everything to like having 0:40:07.160 --> 0:40:09.359 lots of dates and then eventually you know, getting married 0:40:09.400 --> 0:40:12.200 and whatever. So I was that was fine, right, living 0:40:12.239 --> 0:40:15.800 my best life getting married, you know, between episodes and stuff. 0:40:15.880 --> 0:40:16.920 It was so funny. 0:40:17.080 --> 0:40:20.120 So you got married during off hour, See I did? 0:40:20.520 --> 0:40:20.960 I did. 0:40:21.080 --> 0:40:23.440 It was so crazy, eleven months of dating and then 0:40:23.480 --> 0:40:26.239 I married my my ex. You know, we had a 0:40:26.239 --> 0:40:28.719 good sixteen year run and two beautiful kids and so 0:40:29.239 --> 0:40:31.839 but it was really and exciting, you know, that was 0:40:31.920 --> 0:40:34.800 my experience. It was my first series of regular job. 0:40:35.280 --> 0:40:38.160 I'm not complaining about a damn thing. That was pretty great, 0:40:38.280 --> 0:40:40.520 you know what I mean. And all of you, all 0:40:40.520 --> 0:40:43.200 of it, we were so it was so much fun, 0:40:43.880 --> 0:40:47.000 you know, working. Yeah, so I know this is boring, right, 0:40:47.040 --> 0:40:48.719 there's no like drama. 0:40:48.680 --> 0:40:51.719 But I know, but it's yannimous, like you know, we're 0:40:51.719 --> 0:40:53.920 all telling the truth. Yeah, it happens to be. 0:40:54.040 --> 0:40:56.359 And lots of people were getting married too, Like didn't 0:40:56.440 --> 0:40:57.920 Josie get married that year. 0:40:57.719 --> 0:41:02.320 Too, honeymoons short as we kept filming, we never stopped 0:41:02.320 --> 0:41:03.440 filming filming. 0:41:03.520 --> 0:41:05.280 Yeah, was Thomas already married? 0:41:05.840 --> 0:41:09.120 No, Thomas met Liz during the film first season. 0:41:09.280 --> 0:41:11.600 Yeah, so it was that time in our lives. Thomas 0:41:11.600 --> 0:41:12.440 and who else speaking a. 0:41:12.440 --> 0:41:16.680 List, these guys at me till later. 0:41:20.040 --> 0:41:23.200 Did not marry me, but Andrew got married during Yes 0:41:23.239 --> 0:41:31.160 he did babies, right, Heather, I'm not sure divorced and 0:41:31.200 --> 0:41:33.799 remarried during the show going on. 0:41:33.840 --> 0:41:36.960 Well, and Heather came our first season too, And okay, 0:41:37.000 --> 0:41:41.400 so so when it when it was not tracking that this, 0:41:41.400 --> 0:41:45.759 this twenty something angsty thing was going to really be 0:41:45.880 --> 0:41:47.600 what hooked us in because you were saying, this is 0:41:47.640 --> 0:41:50.480 another thought that I had. We had so much publicity, 0:41:50.840 --> 0:41:55.280 remember all of those weeks and and and photo shoots, 0:41:55.320 --> 0:41:57.480 and we had no we hadn't seen the script, and 0:41:57.520 --> 0:41:58.759 they were like, so what did it? 0:41:58.840 --> 0:42:01.040 And we were on like, yeah, your character, Like I 0:42:01.040 --> 0:42:03.040 couldn't I tell you yet? 0:42:03.880 --> 0:42:05.080 Yeah? Wow? 0:42:05.200 --> 0:42:07.239 And they were hooking, you know, putting us together in 0:42:07.239 --> 0:42:09.239 different shots. We went out to a desert and did 0:42:09.239 --> 0:42:12.799 a shot that we had a whole block party in 0:42:12.880 --> 0:42:16.520 the middle of melwork. They shut they shut down to 0:42:16.560 --> 0:42:17.719 have that. Do you remember that? 0:42:18.000 --> 0:42:21.040 No, I remember going to this mountain. 0:42:21.239 --> 0:42:23.799 They were doing an event autographs anding Magic Mountain. I 0:42:23.800 --> 0:42:25.279 don't think you came that day because there were just 0:42:25.320 --> 0:42:27.640 a few of us, the people who weren't shooting, and 0:42:27.680 --> 0:42:31.719 nobody came, people are like, who are you? People were saying, 0:42:31.719 --> 0:42:33.000 why are we sitting here? 0:42:33.040 --> 0:42:34.480 Like in this outdoor thing? 0:42:35.320 --> 0:42:38.319 So much publicity, it was like a hole. That's when 0:42:38.320 --> 0:42:41.200 I saw what a publicity machine was. And again, because 0:42:41.239 --> 0:42:43.160 we were on the fumes of nine to two one oh, 0:42:43.160 --> 0:42:45.200 that had so much hope. So they were hoping it 0:42:45.239 --> 0:42:47.279 was going to be the same kind of impact, just 0:42:47.880 --> 0:42:50.960 young adults and not teenagers, which they were. And so 0:42:51.120 --> 0:42:55.000 during the course of the show, then they started finding it. 0:42:55.040 --> 0:42:58.160 What's what's it gonna be? Then it was like, let's 0:42:58.200 --> 0:43:01.959 bring in the ringer, Let's in Neather, Heather to save 0:43:02.040 --> 0:43:03.120 the day. 0:43:03.320 --> 0:43:05.560 That was when it was falling apart. So did you 0:43:05.640 --> 0:43:07.640 do all the episodes in the first season. I did, 0:43:07.760 --> 0:43:10.480 so it was like thirty thirty, so you remember Heather 0:43:10.600 --> 0:43:11.000 coming on. 0:43:12.200 --> 0:43:16.360 Indeed, I remember I remember Billy getting recast. That was 0:43:16.400 --> 0:43:19.360 another like, yes. 0:43:19.920 --> 0:43:22.960 The other guy shot a week, shot shot a day, 0:43:24.080 --> 0:43:26.920 not a day, not a day, shot a day. 0:43:27.600 --> 0:43:29.560 But wasn't. But I feel like they were all these 0:43:29.600 --> 0:43:30.279 things leading up. 0:43:30.360 --> 0:43:32.520 We did a ton of press with him. We did 0:43:32.520 --> 0:43:35.920 press guy, this guy. 0:43:35.280 --> 0:43:38.160 Just when everybody was together. It just didn't that I 0:43:38.200 --> 0:43:41.000 ended up working with him later so he did what's 0:43:41.000 --> 0:43:42.799 his name again, Stephen Fan Steve. 0:43:43.840 --> 0:43:46.000 Really good actor. It's just such a time. 0:43:46.560 --> 0:43:49.600 Yeah, such a marvelous actor. And yeah, so I thought 0:43:49.719 --> 0:43:52.080 we were working because we were We had so much 0:43:52.080 --> 0:43:54.120 publicity to do before the show, so it was just 0:43:54.160 --> 0:43:54.759 the one day. 0:43:55.719 --> 0:43:58.359 I remember it as being one day, and we kept 0:43:58.440 --> 0:44:00.960 redoing the scene and redoing the scene and redoing the scene, 0:44:01.560 --> 0:44:04.000 and then they just said it wasn't like whatever they were. 0:44:04.040 --> 0:44:06.200 They were watching us so carefully because of the press. 0:44:06.200 --> 0:44:08.919 I think there hadn't been so much attention on would 0:44:08.960 --> 0:44:11.480 have gotten more legs because he was great. 0:44:11.600 --> 0:44:12.920 It was wonderful. 0:44:13.120 --> 0:44:15.480 But then I think Aaron had an idea and then 0:44:15.560 --> 0:44:18.680 brought this energy in with Andrew, which also worked really 0:44:18.719 --> 0:44:21.120 well obviously, But I think it was he was a 0:44:21.200 --> 0:44:24.520 victim of the intensity of the pressure we were all under. 0:44:24.800 --> 0:44:27.040 Yeah. I think, like anything, they were trying to find 0:44:27.120 --> 0:44:28.799 what the show was. They had an idea of what 0:44:28.840 --> 0:44:31.400 the show is, and then and then they're shooting the show. 0:44:31.400 --> 0:44:33.279 It's like what you write, what you shoot, and then 0:44:33.280 --> 0:44:35.000 what you got, you know, So it was like like 0:44:35.320 --> 0:44:38.960 them figuring out that. But I just remember those these 0:44:39.000 --> 0:44:42.239 were shocking, like, Okay, you could just lose it, okay, 0:44:43.080 --> 0:44:46.440 you know, for your own like not bad acting or anything. 0:44:46.520 --> 0:44:48.000 It's like they're creating. 0:44:47.560 --> 0:44:49.520 A whole piece. 0:44:49.920 --> 0:44:52.759 Yeah with that, you're just a piece of it, you know. 0:44:52.920 --> 0:44:55.759 I over the years and all the rejection that comes 0:44:55.760 --> 0:44:58.560 with it, I remember calling my mom or talking to 0:44:58.600 --> 0:45:01.960 her and crying about something much later, about something I 0:45:02.000 --> 0:45:03.960 didn't get, and she just said, you know, Daphn, you 0:45:04.040 --> 0:45:06.799 try to think of it as a painting, and you're 0:45:07.000 --> 0:45:10.440 you're a color. You're a color rose. But they needed 0:45:10.600 --> 0:45:14.479 rose matter, they needed rose, you know, they needed they 0:45:14.560 --> 0:45:19.480 wanted the visuals. The visionaries wanted just something slightly different 0:45:19.520 --> 0:45:22.520 from your rose color. So they just want something different, 0:45:22.560 --> 0:45:26.640 and we all actors are literally just that's a hard 0:45:26.800 --> 0:45:27.680 you're a victim to that. 0:45:27.719 --> 0:45:30.120 They could come and go, well yeah, because the second 0:45:30.120 --> 0:45:31.839 you start working on the script, you're like, oh, yeah, 0:45:31.840 --> 0:45:35.480 this is me exactly to immediately see yourself as it 0:45:35.520 --> 0:45:36.839 and you're well, of course it was me, and they 0:45:36.880 --> 0:45:38.120 have a completely different idea. 0:45:38.200 --> 0:45:40.520 And even when you're watching something and be like I could. 0:45:40.280 --> 0:45:47.719 Do that, yeah right, well that yeah, all actors think exactly, yeah, yeah, total. 0:45:47.560 --> 0:45:48.400 Color that you know. 0:45:49.800 --> 0:45:53.600 Yeah you so Vanessa, do you know again, looking back 0:45:53.680 --> 0:45:56.319 thirty years later, with the lens of being in twenty 0:45:56.360 --> 0:46:00.480 twenty four, I mean, I just want to ask, Obviously, 0:46:00.600 --> 0:46:02.880 no black writers in the room back then, no people 0:46:02.920 --> 0:46:07.080 of color pretty much shit anywhere, and you know, making 0:46:07.080 --> 0:46:09.480 the rules and calling the shots and writing the stories 0:46:09.520 --> 0:46:13.600 and stuff. Do you feel for your career as an 0:46:13.600 --> 0:46:16.640 actress that it has changed? And where are we now? 0:46:16.840 --> 0:46:20.080 Oh? Yes, certainly, And even on Meloe's place. I mean, 0:46:20.640 --> 0:46:23.040 it wasn't like the show was in a vacuum, even 0:46:23.040 --> 0:46:26.279 though I didn't watch it after I was dismissed. And 0:46:26.320 --> 0:46:29.359 I'll tell you about that later, but there were Yeah, 0:46:29.360 --> 0:46:31.440 as my guy came on, and you know the people 0:46:31.440 --> 0:46:35.360 that populated Allison's office, you know, the real world, there 0:46:35.400 --> 0:46:40.359 were occasional black actor occasional occasional. But I took note 0:46:40.400 --> 0:46:43.160 of it, of course, because I had been fired and 0:46:43.200 --> 0:46:46.680 so I or let go, you know, and that that 0:46:46.840 --> 0:46:50.520 was traumatic. I gotta tell you, like, it's my first series, 0:46:50.560 --> 0:46:53.200 and I'm like in LA and it's my second job, 0:46:53.560 --> 0:46:56.480 my first series. I'm like, I'm on my trajectory. It 0:46:56.520 --> 0:46:58.480 was a really good lesson for me. So I had 0:46:58.520 --> 0:47:01.080 done the I had done all thirty episodes, and I 0:47:01.120 --> 0:47:05.080 worked the last day of the last show for the 0:47:05.120 --> 0:47:07.480 season and then I get a call from Chuck and 0:47:07.800 --> 0:47:10.440 actually because my my my ex husband was my manager 0:47:10.520 --> 0:47:13.719 at the time, and so Chuck Charles Pratt called him 0:47:13.800 --> 0:47:17.360 to say, yeah, it's not going on, and I was yeah, 0:47:17.440 --> 0:47:20.680 he was one of my Yeah, he's a writer, executive producer. 0:47:20.840 --> 0:47:23.640 So he gets the call and he's like grave and 0:47:23.640 --> 0:47:25.120 he's not da da And he gets off the phone. 0:47:25.160 --> 0:47:29.840 He says, Vanessa, they're they're letting you go. I was like, huh. 0:47:29.880 --> 0:47:31.600 And I had already been to Spelling's house. We had 0:47:31.600 --> 0:47:33.480 already had champagne that we got picked up for the 0:47:33.520 --> 0:47:35.919 second season and all that stuff, and I was like what. 0:47:36.360 --> 0:47:39.279 He was like, yeah, no, they're not You're not going 0:47:39.320 --> 0:47:40.400 to be in the next season. 0:47:41.160 --> 0:47:42.759 I was devastated. 0:47:43.040 --> 0:47:46.440 Oh, I mean like devastated because there was no indication. 0:47:46.680 --> 0:47:48.520 It wasn't like, oh, you're not getting the fan mail, 0:47:48.560 --> 0:47:50.200 and it was like am I and you So you 0:47:50.239 --> 0:47:52.880 start thinking, oh, was I horrible to work with? Was 0:47:52.880 --> 0:47:54.799 my acting that I could, you know, just all of 0:47:54.840 --> 0:47:57.600 the things. And then it took me into like a 0:47:57.800 --> 0:48:02.440 very like let me go into like a spiritual let 0:48:02.440 --> 0:48:05.239 me go to. What I know is like, this is 0:48:05.280 --> 0:48:08.600 not whether I'm working or not is not the value 0:48:08.960 --> 0:48:11.080 of who I am, who I am as an artist, 0:48:11.120 --> 0:48:13.240 and and I got really clear. I went to agape, 0:48:13.640 --> 0:48:16.520 I got involved into taking classes. I just went deeply 0:48:16.560 --> 0:48:19.239 into my spiritual roots. You know, I was raised Baptist, 0:48:19.440 --> 0:48:21.400 but you know I was doing the New Thought, you know, 0:48:21.560 --> 0:48:27.560 kind of practical mysticism and practical spiritual just basically a 0:48:27.600 --> 0:48:30.959 way to make God real and part of my everyday life, 0:48:31.040 --> 0:48:33.680 not just something I did on Sunday or whatever. God 0:48:33.760 --> 0:48:35.680 is love and God is you, and you are an 0:48:35.719 --> 0:48:38.360 expression of God's love. And so all of that resonated 0:48:38.440 --> 0:48:40.760 so wonderfully for me. So I was happy to find 0:48:40.800 --> 0:48:43.880 like a spiritual home at a GOPE with Reverend Michael 0:48:43.920 --> 0:48:46.480 and all the teachings there. And so as I said, 0:48:46.520 --> 0:48:49.120 I went, I took classes because I was so hurt. 0:48:49.200 --> 0:48:51.360 I was so so hurt. I mean, so much of 0:48:51.400 --> 0:48:55.759 your value, you know you. So what I came to 0:48:56.600 --> 0:48:59.319 was that, oh, if I let whether I'm working or 0:48:59.360 --> 0:49:02.319 not be the measure of how good I am as 0:49:02.360 --> 0:49:05.759 an actor, then I'll always be at the mercy of 0:49:05.840 --> 0:49:09.080 this business of someone else. I said, I'm still that 0:49:09.280 --> 0:49:12.280 fine actor who booked that job and booked the jobs before, 0:49:12.480 --> 0:49:15.080 whether I'm working or not. So it was a very 0:49:15.120 --> 0:49:19.960 painful but very purposeful lesson to take going forward. And 0:49:19.960 --> 0:49:22.799 then regards I booked, other things happen. So I went on, 0:49:23.640 --> 0:49:26.440 but it was really it was so it was it 0:49:26.440 --> 0:49:28.319 was I felt like a bait and switch kind of thing. 0:49:28.440 --> 0:49:30.000 And again I was like, well, if I had known 0:49:30.080 --> 0:49:32.440 I wasn't coming back, because the other thing about not 0:49:33.160 --> 0:49:35.439 know being known, not knowing that I was coming back 0:49:35.680 --> 0:49:39.080 was I could have auditioned for other shows living. I 0:49:39.120 --> 0:49:41.759 could have gotten an on Living Single. I could There 0:49:41.840 --> 0:49:43.399 was like a bunch of shows. I mean I taught. 0:49:43.440 --> 0:49:46.560 I think, you know, there would have been opportunities. I 0:49:46.560 --> 0:49:50.120 wouldn't have been like sitting out the whole next season 0:49:50.120 --> 0:49:52.919 because I would have had my next show. But what that, 0:49:53.080 --> 0:49:55.680 what that gave me opportunity to do was go to Spain, 0:49:56.280 --> 0:49:59.359 go to Europe and be the face of Melrose Place 0:49:59.520 --> 0:50:02.200 in your So then I got a show in Spain 0:50:02.280 --> 0:50:05.120 on Tellasinco, and I had like all these people like 0:50:05.239 --> 0:50:08.440 mobbing my car because Melwoy's Place was playing in all 0:50:08.440 --> 0:50:11.000 these places. And so you guys go on to set 0:50:11.080 --> 0:50:13.360 working and I was getting all the love and kudos, 0:50:13.680 --> 0:50:17.600 and from that appearance in Madrid, Teleasinkle offered me a 0:50:17.719 --> 0:50:22.680 variety show, So now, of course I did. I did 0:50:22.680 --> 0:50:26.200 a show called Vivanos Novios grand Fiesta. I was in 0:50:26.239 --> 0:50:31.960 Spain for four months, getting tutored in Spanish, speaking in Spanish, 0:50:32.239 --> 0:50:36.000 singing Gloria Stefan's shows. I'm like a whole lola Forlana. 0:50:36.800 --> 0:50:41.680 Yea variety show thing. It was amazing, That's incredible, amazing. 0:50:41.719 --> 0:50:43.600 I've done a show in Spain. I was a guest 0:50:43.640 --> 0:50:46.799 on one of those. I know what you mean, like literally. 0:50:46.400 --> 0:50:48.520 Like you know, in terms of like what the format 0:50:48.560 --> 0:50:51.120 of these shows, but I was I would I did 0:50:51.160 --> 0:50:52.680 like full on production numbers. 0:50:52.920 --> 0:50:53.240 Wow. 0:50:53.480 --> 0:50:55.880 It's just the best thing ever, isn't it amazing? 0:50:57.120 --> 0:50:59.600 Yeah, just hearing your story about this first time I've 0:50:59.600 --> 0:51:01.839 heard all this, and I think we've all had that 0:51:01.960 --> 0:51:04.520 in our careers at times where you just you know, 0:51:04.560 --> 0:51:07.279 have gotten let go or something isn't working out and 0:51:07.320 --> 0:51:09.000 you have to go deeper and you have to find 0:51:09.000 --> 0:51:13.400 yourself worth and your value because even if you you're 0:51:13.480 --> 0:51:16.960 constantly being rejected, and I remember it being My story 0:51:16.960 --> 0:51:21.919 came later about this, but just thinking it's over falling. 0:51:21.640 --> 0:51:24.640 To day I ever work again, And also like who. 0:51:24.520 --> 0:51:25.160 Am I do? 0:51:25.360 --> 0:51:26.279 Is my my child? 0:51:26.320 --> 0:51:28.160 Because you have done this your whole life since you 0:51:28.200 --> 0:51:30.360 were child, and your dreams, and you just think is 0:51:30.360 --> 0:51:31.840 your child dream over? 0:51:32.080 --> 0:51:33.000 Is that it? 0:51:33.080 --> 0:51:36.960 They are discarding you, And kudos for you for freaking 0:51:37.040 --> 0:51:41.760 going deeper and finding that spiritual anchor and the truer truth, 0:51:42.160 --> 0:51:46.040 the bigger truth of you. And then you find there's infinite, 0:51:46.080 --> 0:51:47.440 There's more infinite. 0:51:47.640 --> 0:51:51.360 You are so much more than that. Bronda's Deep, Puck 0:51:51.640 --> 0:51:54.480 and Wayne Dyer and all of these truth teachers that 0:51:54.600 --> 0:51:57.160 I was able to find as a result. I mean, 0:51:57.160 --> 0:51:59.320 I think I would have found them anyway because I was. 0:51:59.360 --> 0:52:02.239 I'm a seekert. We're all, you know, trying to you know, 0:52:02.360 --> 0:52:04.920 balance that and I and I thank my my my 0:52:05.080 --> 0:52:07.440 religious roots, my Baptist church, you know, going to church 0:52:07.440 --> 0:52:09.880 every Sunday. My grandmother was the was the organist. So 0:52:10.040 --> 0:52:12.520 I have all that. So I had a spiritual practice 0:52:12.760 --> 0:52:15.440 and then I sharpened it and tuned it to make 0:52:15.520 --> 0:52:18.680 sense for my life, you know, I tailored it to 0:52:19.120 --> 0:52:21.360 you know, Okay, I want this part of it, not 0:52:21.520 --> 0:52:23.400 that part of it. I want the love message. I 0:52:23.440 --> 0:52:25.520 want like I want to live as Jesus, you know, 0:52:25.680 --> 0:52:27.919 I want to do I want to know that I'm 0:52:29.040 --> 0:52:31.680 you know that he came as an example of how 0:52:31.719 --> 0:52:34.000 you can live in peace and be kind to you know, 0:52:34.320 --> 0:52:38.040 your your your community and your world and make a difference. 0:52:38.400 --> 0:52:42.080 So it was a yeah, it was a it's like, 0:52:42.200 --> 0:52:44.759 how are you going to survive this Hollywood thing, this 0:52:45.080 --> 0:52:49.040 monster if you don't have something deeper and richer to 0:52:49.280 --> 0:52:52.120 anchor you and hold you because most of it is no, 0:52:52.960 --> 0:52:55.640 most of our lives as actors is no. And it's 0:52:55.719 --> 0:52:57.319 only a like it's like. 0:52:57.440 --> 0:53:00.239 You are bigger than this than this job that you 0:53:00.360 --> 0:53:03.279 came in to do and A and B. Most people 0:53:03.880 --> 0:53:06.719 they quit before they even had a chance, but we 0:53:07.000 --> 0:53:09.440 have all you know, you did that and you kept 0:53:09.480 --> 0:53:11.759 going and kept going, and it's like you were meant 0:53:11.800 --> 0:53:13.239 to do this. Well that was the thing. 0:53:13.280 --> 0:53:13.600 It was like. 0:53:13.680 --> 0:53:16.160 It was also like a calling, right, So it's like 0:53:16.480 --> 0:53:20.400 it's not like I could really quit and be happy 0:53:20.480 --> 0:53:23.840 like this was what my calling is? My service? You know, 0:53:24.080 --> 0:53:27.640 like when when you know that you would do it 0:53:27.800 --> 0:53:29.800 and have done it, whether they were paying you or not, 0:53:30.280 --> 0:53:32.839 you it's like, oh, and that's when I would talk 0:53:32.840 --> 0:53:34.160 to people. It was like, well, find the thing that 0:53:34.280 --> 0:53:36.719 really you love that you would do whether we're paying 0:53:36.760 --> 0:53:40.640 you or not, because then that's your passion. So yeah, 0:53:40.680 --> 0:53:42.200 I mean it was, it was. It was a good time. 0:53:42.239 --> 0:53:44.520 But oh girl, but it got me ready for hell. 0:53:44.640 --> 0:53:47.359 Welcome to Hollywood, like for real, for real, Like they'll 0:53:47.440 --> 0:53:49.800 roll out the red carpet for you and they'll snatch 0:53:49.880 --> 0:53:51.759 that in a litter. 0:53:55.120 --> 0:53:58.800 A lot of fans were so excited that you're a podcast. 0:53:58.880 --> 0:54:00.680 I mean there's you know, you've got a ton of 0:54:00.719 --> 0:54:02.719 fans for Melrose. Do you feel that in your life, 0:54:02.800 --> 0:54:04.600 like you still have people like, oh I. 0:54:04.640 --> 0:54:10.480 Love your Melrose. Melrose brought me into a wider America, right, 0:54:10.600 --> 0:54:12.440 so like like my fans are from like so so 0:54:12.560 --> 0:54:14.840 when people recognize me in airport, I don't know what 0:54:14.920 --> 0:54:19.080 they're what they're linked in too. You know, certainly people 0:54:19.080 --> 0:54:21.960 of a certain age well like Melrose and being and 0:54:22.200 --> 0:54:26.440 being that representation on Melrose Place was also very crucial 0:54:26.480 --> 0:54:29.000 and very very marvelous. I know, lots of black people said, 0:54:29.000 --> 0:54:31.040 I start watching it when you left, I started watching it, 0:54:31.160 --> 0:54:33.279 so you you know you left a whole It was 0:54:33.320 --> 0:54:36.800 a whole connection. Yeah, yeah, so a whole swath of 0:54:36.840 --> 0:54:39.479 the audience was left, you know, but you went. 0:54:39.440 --> 0:54:41.879 On to do I'm just I went on and looked 0:54:42.280 --> 0:54:44.919 Murder One. You did several episodes Chicago Hope, of course, 0:54:44.960 --> 0:54:45.439 Soul Food. 0:54:45.480 --> 0:54:48.840 I was a series regular Murder one. Yeah, and that 0:54:49.120 --> 0:54:51.200 was like a very I talked about that being I 0:54:51.280 --> 0:54:55.840 was really a very high, very highly paid extra because 0:54:56.520 --> 0:55:00.680 while I okay, so the the oh J trial was 0:55:00.719 --> 0:55:02.719 going on, so we were doing the first sort of 0:55:02.800 --> 0:55:04.960 like well maybe not the first, but like a court 0:55:05.600 --> 0:55:10.080 trial like law office kind of show, and then the 0:55:10.320 --> 0:55:14.360 real life crime you know, court show of a century 0:55:14.760 --> 0:55:18.239 took over the airway be televised. So then our little 0:55:18.320 --> 0:55:21.080 murder show, you know, people were like, yeah, okay, whatever, Boddy, 0:55:21.320 --> 0:55:24.000 let's really see what's going on. And this is on 0:55:24.160 --> 0:55:29.080 the heels of the Rodney King thing, right, So right, 0:55:29.400 --> 0:55:33.719 so it's volatile times and LA's smoking, you know, and 0:55:34.680 --> 0:55:38.520 and and and and because you know, the community felt 0:55:38.640 --> 0:55:41.560 the way it did about how those officers got, you know, free, 0:55:42.160 --> 0:55:45.440 when when that verdict came, even though there was questionable, 0:55:45.600 --> 0:55:47.640 we said, this is American law. This is what if 0:55:47.680 --> 0:55:49.759 you have enough money, you can get off. And so 0:55:49.960 --> 0:55:52.440 this man is going to you know, I mean all 0:55:52.480 --> 0:55:55.919 of us knew, you know, they look very mean. Yes, 0:55:56.600 --> 0:55:59.160 you know, so none of no one was convinced, but 0:55:59.239 --> 0:56:01.360 we were like, this is how all goes down. This 0:56:01.520 --> 0:56:03.520 is how it went down. You know, these those white 0:56:03.520 --> 0:56:08.040 guys got to off can afforded, don't Yeah, exactly, you know, 0:56:09.280 --> 0:56:11.880 American justice has a has a price stag and and 0:56:12.040 --> 0:56:15.720 certainly a color, but it definitely it can be bought. 0:56:16.040 --> 0:56:16.200 Right. 0:56:16.880 --> 0:56:19.040 So, and you were on Murder one. 0:56:19.320 --> 0:56:28.120 I'm a Murder one track girl one exactly, Well, what 0:56:28.280 --> 0:56:33.080 was that this podcast? Why do you think we need 0:56:33.360 --> 0:56:37.680 exactly to my own my own cheat notes. But so, 0:56:38.120 --> 0:56:40.760 so I had an episode of a little breakout episode 0:56:40.960 --> 0:56:44.720 on Murder one, and you know, my boyfriend got arrested, 0:56:44.840 --> 0:56:46.800 and then I went to my bosses and so it 0:56:46.920 --> 0:56:49.360 was really really great. And then they got into the 0:56:49.920 --> 0:56:55.279 show the anchoring, the anchoring storyline, and it didn't really 0:56:55.360 --> 0:56:58.920 include or they didn't really include Ron disppointed. I mean, Ronda, 0:56:59.000 --> 0:57:01.319 what was my character? And that my character's point of view? 0:57:01.640 --> 0:57:03.719 So I was just answering the phone, and I'd I'd 0:57:03.760 --> 0:57:06.400 be chilling in my dressing room on that Fox a lot. 0:57:06.400 --> 0:57:08.239 I'd be like Okay, yeah, I want to pay me 0:57:08.320 --> 0:57:11.759 this series of regular money. I'm here for it. And 0:57:12.680 --> 0:57:15.200 so but it was it was still wonderful. I was 0:57:15.320 --> 0:57:17.800 on the set, I was watching what the directors do 0:57:17.960 --> 0:57:19.720 and you know, lighting and all that stuff. So it 0:57:19.840 --> 0:57:21.640 was it was a great education and it was wonderful. 0:57:21.800 --> 0:57:24.080 Yeah, and not lasted a better none of you. Yeah, 0:57:24.080 --> 0:57:26.360 that soul Food, So how is it to be on 0:57:26.440 --> 0:57:28.520 soul Food after all of these other being sort of 0:57:28.600 --> 0:57:30.760 minimalized on the whole food. 0:57:30.640 --> 0:57:33.640 Was a mecca. So the only you know, I wish 0:57:33.680 --> 0:57:35.840 it were different that we were shooting in La but 0:57:35.960 --> 0:57:38.200 I think that would have turned that would have I 0:57:38.280 --> 0:57:40.800 don't know if we would have bonded the same way 0:57:41.160 --> 0:57:44.880 because sort of like being at away camp and forging 0:57:44.960 --> 0:57:48.480 friendships and being and the show was so big and 0:57:48.800 --> 0:57:50.880 we didn't really know because we're tucked away in Canada 0:57:50.920 --> 0:57:53.680 and Toronto shooting it. So we had no idea that 0:57:53.880 --> 0:57:55.920 I mean, we had an idea because Melinda Williams was 0:57:55.920 --> 0:57:59.919 telling us, listen, this is about to be thing. You know, listen, listen, 0:58:00.000 --> 0:58:02.000 people gonna be making babies like all this. He predicted 0:58:02.040 --> 0:58:05.080 all of it, but we it might have been more 0:58:05.160 --> 0:58:09.800 distracting being in La with everyone's life and their connections. 0:58:10.320 --> 0:58:13.800 You know, coming in we've had you know access, We 0:58:13.880 --> 0:58:16.120 had lots of wonderful guest stars, but we've had more. 0:58:16.440 --> 0:58:21.800 The casting extras was sometimes difficult. We're doing it because 0:58:22.120 --> 0:58:25.320 Canada is really a different country and so some of 0:58:25.480 --> 0:58:29.439 the cultural differences. You know, Canada, the African American people 0:58:29.480 --> 0:58:32.520 there are from the Caribbean, and so, you know, I 0:58:32.640 --> 0:58:36.120 remember the director having to like teach these people, teach 0:58:36.200 --> 0:58:38.520 the guy who was the was hired to be the 0:58:38.600 --> 0:58:40.840 pastor how to lay his hand on somebody. You know, 0:58:40.920 --> 0:58:44.400 these things that are like part of the culture of 0:58:45.000 --> 0:58:48.200 the African American church in the States. It was different 0:58:48.680 --> 0:58:51.080 in at least this actor. You know, maybe I won't 0:58:51.080 --> 0:58:54.280 put it all on you know, but this particular but 0:58:54.400 --> 0:58:56.360 we had that like lots of times with the extras. 0:58:57.560 --> 0:58:59.160 I mean, they were wonderful. It was a wonderful pool 0:58:59.160 --> 0:59:02.040 of actors, but they weren't as well trained because there 0:59:02.120 --> 0:59:04.440 wasn't a whole lot of things for black actors in 0:59:04.520 --> 0:59:05.080 Canada to do. 0:59:05.200 --> 0:59:06.320 Egather so different. 0:59:06.360 --> 0:59:08.240 Now, Yeah, it was like so all of the white 0:59:08.280 --> 0:59:10.720 actors had like lots of training and lots of opportunities. 0:59:10.760 --> 0:59:15.040 But lots of the African American actors that we weren't 0:59:15.160 --> 0:59:18.360 you know, flying in from LA and other places. You know, 0:59:18.560 --> 0:59:20.439 this was their first job or you know, they didn't 0:59:20.480 --> 0:59:23.200 have a lot of training or a lot of time 0:59:23.280 --> 0:59:27.920 on set. So yeah, it was, it was. It was marvelous, 0:59:28.280 --> 0:59:30.320 you know. And again like you make a family and 0:59:30.400 --> 0:59:32.840 your your your cast is your family. And so those 0:59:32.840 --> 0:59:36.600 are my sisters for life. And the showrunner who like 0:59:36.720 --> 0:59:39.880 the show writing was like got used. It was. It 0:59:40.000 --> 0:59:42.600 was everything. There was nothing that needed to be explained. 0:59:42.880 --> 0:59:44.600 I didn't have to come in and make a case 0:59:44.680 --> 0:59:47.040 for it. Listen, I can't say those people, you know, 0:59:47.240 --> 0:59:50.320 like it was, things were understood and and we were 0:59:50.400 --> 0:59:55.120 all so really trying to humanize the African American experience 0:59:55.320 --> 0:59:58.080 on screen, like we we came in our curls, we 0:59:58.400 --> 1:00:00.400 went to bed with our night capsle you like all 1:00:00.440 --> 1:00:03.720 these things that we wanted to like humanize the gamut 1:00:03.800 --> 1:00:05.800 of emotion. And yes, in one family, you could have 1:00:05.880 --> 1:00:08.720 somebody who was having some criminal element done of stuff 1:00:08.760 --> 1:00:11.400 they're going through and an attorney at a top firm, 1:00:11.800 --> 1:00:15.040 like the whole gamut of what is the African American 1:00:15.120 --> 1:00:18.080 experience in this one family, and again we were on 1:00:18.200 --> 1:00:20.840 the heels of the popularity and the great success that 1:00:20.920 --> 1:00:24.320 the movie was, and so then that was, you know, amazing. 1:00:24.400 --> 1:00:26.240 We were stepping into the shoes. So again a lot 1:00:26.280 --> 1:00:29.240 of like pressure at the beginning right where you're there's 1:00:29.360 --> 1:00:32.440 already an ip as it's called today, Right, there's already 1:00:32.480 --> 1:00:36.480 the ip. You're stepping into the shoes of other wonderful 1:00:36.520 --> 1:00:40.640 actors who had made this show. But when we would 1:00:40.640 --> 1:00:43.880 get questioned and interviews and stuff like that, well, why 1:00:43.920 --> 1:00:46.800 do you feel stepping into Vivica A. Fox's role? And 1:00:46.920 --> 1:00:48.640 I was like, you know, it's like a great song. 1:00:48.800 --> 1:00:50.600 We want to hear Billy sing it. We want to 1:00:50.640 --> 1:00:53.960 hear Dinah Washington sing it. It's like when you've got 1:00:54.040 --> 1:00:57.360 like a great character and a great story, it's just 1:00:57.480 --> 1:00:59.440 going to be another take on a wonderful thing, and 1:00:59.480 --> 1:01:02.200 you're going to see what you're going to see. And 1:01:02.280 --> 1:01:05.280 then we as as the series actors, got to really 1:01:05.480 --> 1:01:09.760 expand these roles that that those initial actors in the 1:01:10.000 --> 1:01:13.480 movie set up so wonderfully. So it was really great 1:01:13.560 --> 1:01:17.360 and as a as a training ground of how to 1:01:17.480 --> 1:01:20.040 be on set, how to like everything that they're souped 1:01:20.040 --> 1:01:22.720 and nuts. I got to direct. I wrote and directed 1:01:22.760 --> 1:01:26.520 a piece. Yeah not because they wouldn't let me direct 1:01:26.520 --> 1:01:29.360 an episode, which is a time on the tradition. So 1:01:29.480 --> 1:01:31.680 my agents go in like second season, it's like, okay, 1:01:31.720 --> 1:01:33.680 we'd like to have this, and they're like, well, you 1:01:33.760 --> 1:01:38.080 know whatever. But but the heads of the network was 1:01:38.120 --> 1:01:40.480 like Jerry Offset, he was like, yeah, I heard you 1:01:40.520 --> 1:01:42.480 guys wanted to direct and let me how about this? 1:01:42.880 --> 1:01:44.960 And so they gave us a budget and I got 1:01:45.000 --> 1:01:49.600 to direct an independent a thirty minute film and so 1:01:49.800 --> 1:01:53.160 out budget to do your own thing, and you wrote 1:01:53.160 --> 1:01:56.520 it and I wrote and directed it. Yes right now, 1:01:56.840 --> 1:01:58.840 Yeah I do, I do, I do, But I haven't 1:01:58.880 --> 1:02:00.520 directed in such a long time, you know. 1:02:00.520 --> 1:02:00.840 What I mean. 1:02:00.920 --> 1:02:05.000 But it was that was such a marvelous opportunity. It 1:02:05.080 --> 1:02:07.600 was like that that sort of doggedness, that resilience, like 1:02:07.640 --> 1:02:10.200 what I still want to direct. And it was like 1:02:10.920 --> 1:02:14.240 this because I think because they were not in Canada, 1:02:14.760 --> 1:02:18.760 they had an obligation to hire local hires in Canada, 1:02:19.080 --> 1:02:21.959 so that it was a tricky thing getting the cast 1:02:22.080 --> 1:02:24.600 to direct an episode, you know, which is which is 1:02:24.640 --> 1:02:26.280 a time of tradition. You get to direct episode of 1:02:26.320 --> 1:02:30.240 America because you're from the Yeah, they need to employ Canadians, right. 1:02:30.360 --> 1:02:33.160 That was part of like the buy into being able 1:02:33.200 --> 1:02:35.240 to shoot in Canada and get all of those write offs. 1:02:35.240 --> 1:02:38.160 And remember I think it was like an Ayatzi strike 1:02:38.280 --> 1:02:41.120 or something like that. So being in Canada, we had 1:02:41.400 --> 1:02:44.400 acts we could keep going. Yeah, it was yeah, you know, 1:02:44.440 --> 1:02:45.680 it was like some weird stuff going on. 1:02:46.120 --> 1:02:49.040 We have time for one question. There were so many 1:02:49.160 --> 1:02:52.080 great questions, fans so excited to have you here. But 1:02:52.280 --> 1:02:56.280 like one of the really fantastic questions is what do 1:02:56.400 --> 1:02:59.800 you think Ronda would be doing today? I got it. 1:03:00.760 --> 1:03:04.440 She's running a wellness center called Body and Soul and 1:03:04.560 --> 1:03:09.960 it's dancing and it's all massage and you know, all 1:03:10.000 --> 1:03:15.760 the things wellness and health and diet and all you 1:03:15.800 --> 1:03:18.160 know she's getting she's keeping, she's keeping it in the body. 1:03:18.560 --> 1:03:21.000 But because her husband said her up, you know, with 1:03:21.040 --> 1:03:24.000 the nice little package, did she marry Terrence, she's but 1:03:24.040 --> 1:03:27.400 they're divorcing. There was wonder. 1:03:31.800 --> 1:03:33.840 That sounds amazing. I want to go to body. 1:03:34.000 --> 1:03:37.360 I know comes to Body and Soul. That just downloaded 1:03:37.480 --> 1:03:40.560 from the angel that you know, I was looking at 1:03:40.560 --> 1:03:42.680 the fan questions we asked most of them because there 1:03:44.720 --> 1:03:45.880 we asked all those the. 1:03:45.880 --> 1:03:49.760 Only one we actually didn't get to just questions of 1:03:49.880 --> 1:03:53.720 one mind. That's great. I love I love envisioning Ronda 1:03:53.960 --> 1:03:55.480 exactly where Vanessa. 1:03:55.880 --> 1:03:59.480 And I love envisioning all of us there right exactly. 1:03:59.640 --> 1:04:01.160 I mean, we could talk all day, But is there 1:04:01.160 --> 1:04:03.360 anything else that you wanted to like say or you 1:04:03.480 --> 1:04:06.240 remember from what I was going to say? 1:04:06.480 --> 1:04:09.400 Just in terms. I was having a wonderful dinner catching 1:04:09.480 --> 1:04:13.480 up with my other castmate, dear friend's sister friend, Melinda Williams, 1:04:13.960 --> 1:04:16.960 and and she was talking about, you know this, this 1:04:17.240 --> 1:04:21.520 impact that we have in the in the minds, in 1:04:21.600 --> 1:04:25.640 the zeitgeist of American television, and and that these characters 1:04:25.800 --> 1:04:29.440 live in the context, in context of their time and 1:04:29.560 --> 1:04:32.760 in the context of our lives, and what a beautiful 1:04:32.920 --> 1:04:36.760 like opportunity and honor we've had to like tell these 1:04:36.800 --> 1:04:39.680 stories through these characters, and that this is all a 1:04:39.760 --> 1:04:41.840 part of the context of who we are as artists. 1:04:42.400 --> 1:04:45.280 So I thought that was like a really powerful way 1:04:45.440 --> 1:04:48.160 to hold what we do as sacred. Is so easy 1:04:48.200 --> 1:04:49.919 to be like, oh, what have you done for me lately? 1:04:50.040 --> 1:04:51.560 Like what's your next thing? And all you know, all 1:04:51.560 --> 1:04:54.640 those things and I I just feel like, you know what, 1:04:55.040 --> 1:04:58.160 what we're doing, the stories we were able to tell, 1:04:58.240 --> 1:05:01.200 what we get to do, this rarefied air to be 1:05:01.360 --> 1:05:05.080 actors working as often, you know, to work at all 1:05:05.480 --> 1:05:08.200 is a is a blessing, you know. So I feel 1:05:08.240 --> 1:05:13.240 like I feel so grateful to have shared this space 1:05:13.320 --> 1:05:16.560 and this time in our lives that was long ago 1:05:16.640 --> 1:05:18.160 and yesterday, you know what I mean. It's just like 1:05:18.520 --> 1:05:20.200 it goes by in a blink. And and I we 1:05:20.320 --> 1:05:22.480 got like grown children who are married in and starting 1:05:22.520 --> 1:05:23.000 all the things. 1:05:23.040 --> 1:05:26.600 I love to give it real value beyond just what 1:05:26.720 --> 1:05:28.320 the ratings did or whatever. 1:05:28.280 --> 1:05:29.920 Or what it was just to do, like we mean 1:05:30.080 --> 1:05:33.120 something to people. We're part of people's story, you know, 1:05:33.360 --> 1:05:38.400 and part of people's life and nurtured their their beingness 1:05:38.480 --> 1:05:42.280 and growing up and entertained and enlivened and enlightened you 1:05:42.360 --> 1:05:43.120 know all the things. 1:05:43.240 --> 1:05:46.040 Yeah, partly shift when that comes up for us a lot. 1:05:46.120 --> 1:05:48.680 We shared that time. We were the same age as 1:05:48.760 --> 1:05:51.520 the people watching it, so we have this shared memory 1:05:51.520 --> 1:05:53.040 all of us. We have the experience of the show. 1:05:53.520 --> 1:05:55.400 They watched the show, like we really share it with people. 1:05:55.440 --> 1:05:58.040 It's a really special thing coming of age, right. 1:05:58.200 --> 1:06:00.680 And It's such a great way to sort of wrap 1:06:00.920 --> 1:06:03.400 this up book. We have loved being with you as 1:06:03.440 --> 1:06:05.280 a as a person, and we shared this thing in 1:06:05.360 --> 1:06:07.080 our past, but we're so happy to have you in 1:06:07.160 --> 1:06:07.720 our presence. 1:06:08.360 --> 1:06:12.240 Yeah, we love We hope. I want to I do. 1:06:12.400 --> 1:06:13.000 I want to come back. 1:06:13.040 --> 1:06:22.360 Guys and you and everyone, We're getting there, and thank you, thank. 1:06:22.240 --> 1:06:26.320 You for heaven. Thank you. I look forward to us all, 1:06:26.520 --> 1:06:29.800 you know, being out together and meeting our fans again. 1:06:29.880 --> 1:06:30.880 That would be really really. 1:06:31.120 --> 1:06:34.000 Yeah, they're so party. Or you can write us something 1:06:34.040 --> 1:06:39.600 and we can all do something now another excuse to 1:06:39.600 --> 1:06:40.120 sit down and. 1:06:40.240 --> 1:06:44.360 Chay exactly all the things. So I was so thrilled 1:06:44.400 --> 1:06:48.520 and excited to come. Thank you, thank you, thank you. 1:06:49.040 --> 1:06:51.960 We'll see you next time too, and thanks again all 1:06:52.000 --> 1:06:54.680 the for all the fan questions and all the listeners. 1:06:55.320 --> 1:07:01.640 Keep keep subscribing and morning, well we'll see you next week.